Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has applauded the success of the intervention models introduced by the Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods project of the USAID in the state.
The governor also directed the state ministries of Agriculture, Local government and other line ministries to come up with a similar but sustainable plan that would be replicated throughout the state.
Addressing the final meeting of the project yesterday in Abuja, the governor expressed delight about the success of the programme which had brought improve the living standards of over 24,000 households in the state.
“We are aware of how the lives of over 24,000 households in Sokoto State alone were transformed through investment in their health care, local economic growth and livelihoods.
“Feed the future livelihoods project had integrated the very poor into the agriculture rural economy, increased the production and productivity of the small holder farmer through the dissemination of best agronomic practices, and increased their assets and income through the numerous technical and vocational skills training accompanied with seed capital,” he observed.
He described as ‘unique and effective’, the cash transfer programme of the intervention, which enriched the livelihood planning session for the recipients.
According to the governor, the household livelihoods planning was a systematic strategy of tracking progress of the cash transfer towards ensuring the judicious utilization of the support, while also commending the adult education component of the programme which he noted aligned with the policies of the government to improve the lives of the vulnerable group in the state.
As a result, the governor said that some models and approaches of the project found adaptable, would be replicated in some ministries, departments and agencies.
“It was as a result of the complete acceptance of this intervention that we provided the enabling support from the inception of the project through its lifespan. We provided adequate space to house the state office, with all the Newcastle facilities, we appointed dest officers, and we also fulfilled our counterpart commitment to cash transfer that supported the 120 beneficiaries across the focal LGAs,” he explained.
Governor Tambuwal assured that the state government would engaged trained agriculture field agents to fill the gap in the extension services to farmers, with a promise to fast track the implementation of the MOU signed with the ministry of women and Child affairs.
“Our government will continue to provide all the required support to the line MDAs towards the sustenance of the project which had recorded huge success in the state,” he further pledged.