Pest invasion: Kebbi govt.to deploy helicopters, assures farmers of succor soon

From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

Kebbi State Government has assured the rice farmers in the state that his administration will ensure safety of their rice and other crops production, promising to deploy helicopters for aerial spray on rice farms invaded by insects suspected to be locusts in Ambursa and other parts of the state.
He stated this Sunday while on an inspection tour on the activities of rice production in the state adding that already he has given an order for immediate action after receiving complaints from affected farmers.
The Governor allayed the fears of farmers of any negative effect assuring that the federal and state governments were determined to assist them to maintain production of rice and other crops steadily.
He said in the next two days chemical application and spray would commence in all affected places in the state, and requested farmers to always report anti-agricultural problems to the authorities for immediate solution.
Senator Atiku Bagudu commended farmers in the area for embarking on massive rice production in line with the campaign by the federal government to promoting cultivation of local rice and minimize importation of foreign brand.
The Governor was in Ambursa town for an on the spot assessment of township roads project and look into the possibility of extending the project to cover other sections of the town such at Wagu and old market area.
On the problem of water supply to Ambursa, the Governor directed the community to forward their request to the appropriate authority for onward submission to his office for necessary action.
Earlier, a group of rice farmers, led by Alhaji Shehu Maigishiri Ambursa complained to the Governor on the invasion of grasshoppers to rice farmers in the area, calling on the government to arrest the situation to avoid loss of produce.