Bauchi govt procures 18,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer -Official

From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has procured 18,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer for this year 2019 farming season just as the government denied story caption that says there is shortage of fertilizer in the state.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture Dr Musa Bala Lukshi stated this in a statement distributed to reporters in Bauchi yesterday.
Lukshi said, “ the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture was drawn over the caption circulated in some National dailies that said “Fertilizer Scarcity Hits Bauch”i, and quoted the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry as the author of the statement.
“This is a misrepresentation of facts to put the record straight initially the Bauchi State Government under the leadership of Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has purchased the 6,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer which was distributed to farmers across the 20 local government areas of the state, under the revolving funds scheme.
“When it was finished government purchase another 6,000 metric tonnes of the commodity and we are now going to the third round we purchased another 6000mnetric tonnes that is currently being distributed to all nooks and crannies in all the 20 local government areas of the state.
“Throughout the information I released, there was nowhere that I said the “fertilizer scarcity hits Bauchi”. It’s not true it’s an imagination of the reporters.”
He said “the interview was conducted since when the first consignment of the commodity was finished, after which we purchased the second one we distributed it and presently another round of 6,000 metric tonnes are purchased. We are now on the third batch of the distribution of the commodity.
“We have purchased 3,000 metric tonnes of Urea, which was not purchased for a long time by the previous administrations.”
Lukshi said “The caption in the media is misleading, a misrepresentation of facts and un professional I would like to advise journalist to be more professional in the discharge of their duties and to always check and cross check their facts before going to the press.”