From HASSAN JIRGI Maiduguri
Vice President Kashim Shettima has commissioned the 375 tractors belonging to Borno State Government which have been fully refurbished by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, under the National Assets Recovery, Refurbishment and Redeployment Project ,Asset Restore Project.
The event was held yesterday at the Borno State Agricultural Mechanisation Authority, BOSAMA, headquarters in Maiduguri.
Shettima, commended Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, stating, “My greatest commendation to the Governor of Borno State for his commitment to providing leadership in the state”.
He also praised NASENI for its commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s agricultural productivity through innovative infrastructure support under its asset restoration programme.
“We have seen NASENI at work, playing critical roles in our interventions in compressed natural gas, CNG, retrofitting, renewable energy technologies, and agricultural mechanisation.
He added that “We are reminded more than ever that we cannot create durable Nigerian solutions to Nigerian problems unless we localise global technologies and relevant agencies must be supported to point us towards a stable nation and a promising future”, the Vice President said.
Speaking earlier, Governor Zulum acknowledged the Vice President’s numerous interventions in the agricultural mechanisation of Borno during his tenure as Governor of Borno State from 2011 to 2019.
He said, “Let me bring to the kind notice of this gathering that these tractors were procured by my predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, when he was the Governor of Borno State.
He procured 1000 tractors and their implements”.
The Governor added, “He did not stop at that, but he also procured 250 units each of groundnut diggers, fertiliser broadcasters, rotovators, bailers and 25 units of combined harvesters.
Speaking separately, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari and the Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Khali Sulieman Halilu, commended Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for the leadership he has provided.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima also commissioned 351 units of implements procured by the administration of Professor Babagana Umara Zulum.
The implements according to Borno State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Engr Bawu Musami, comprise 121 units of disc ploughs, 180 units of disc harrows, grain threshers, rotary slashers and 6-cubic-meter diesel tankers.
