News

FG trains sugarcane farmers in North-East, North-West on seed cane production

Published

2 years ago

February 1, 2023

The Trained Farmers

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has begun a two-day training for smallholder sugarcane farmers in North-East, North-West on seed cane production.

Declaring the training open on Tuesday in Kano, the Minister, Malam Mahmud Abubakar, said that access to quality seed canes had become a challenge in the country, leading to low yield.

The minister, represented by the Desk Officer, Sugarcane Value Chain, Sama’Ila Shiko, said the training would go a long way in boosting the production of the raw material for sugar production in the country.

He said that the farmers were drawn from Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi Katsina, Zamfara, Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba States.

He said that the capacity building of smallholder sugarcane farmers in community-based seed cane production was crucial to boosting the yield.

The minister further said that the training was part of the strategies to build the capacity of small-holder sugarcane farmers through the sugarcane value chain.

General Buratai Advocates for Continuous Training of The Armed Forces

According to him, the training will improve sugarcane production technologies and marketing of seed cane with a view to establishing linkages within the sub-sector and provide support to the farmers to further enhance their farming business.

“The training is crucial as it will no doubt strengthen your ability to produce sugarcane at a scale that can potentially help the country close the deficit in both domestic sugarcane and sugar production,” he said.

He said that after the training, the farmers would be given a set of input package, including 10kg certified seedcane, 2 litres each of Liquid Organic Fertilizer, Herbicides and Insecticides as part of the renewed support by the ministry.

Abubakar restated the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector, in order to realise its potentials of driving an inclusive economic growth, achieving food and nutrition security as well as creating job opportunities for the unemployed.

In a remark, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Kano, Alhaji Abba Yamani, urged the participants to utilise the experience they acquired from the training to improve their production.

Yamani also urged them to share the knowledge with other farmers.
Some of the participants, who spoke to our correspondent thanked the ministry for the training and promised to step down the knowledge to others.

News

Stampede at Catholic Church in Maitama Claims Ten Lives During Food Distribution

Published

8 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

Ten people have been confirmed dead in a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, on Saturday, 21st December 2024, during the distribution of food items to vulnerable and elderly individuals.

The unfortunate incident, which occurred around 6:30 am, resulted in the loss of ten lives, including four children, and left eight others injured with varying degrees of severity. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are still receiving medical attention.

The FCT Police Command, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the tragedy, extended condolences to the families of the deceased, and wished the injured a swift recovery.

News

Port-Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational- Says NNPC

Published

13 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

The attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alleging that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery which was re-streamed two months ago has been shut down.

We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC.

Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing.

Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians.

News

Port Harcourt Refinery Halts Production Less Than a Month After Resumption

Published

13 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Nigerian Tracker

Less than a month after the porthacourt appeared to have resumed production, the facility has stopped working.

It was gathered that the lifting of petrol actually stopped last Friday, December 13, as the 18-arm loading bay of the new Port Harcourt refinery was empty.

While about 18 trucks littered the stretch of the busy road leading to the refinery itself, nine trucks were spotted inside the parking yard, while the loading bay was empty.

Journalists who visited the refinery on Thursday, December 19, 2024, observed that the lifting of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had stopped completely.

The depot, which is usually a beehive of activities where tankers scramble for space at the parking yard, was a shadow of itself with literally no vehicular or human activity relating to operations.

This was after $1.5bn was approved in March 2021 and spent on the rehabilitation of the facility.

The inauguration of the 60,000 barrel per day production capacity plant by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, was met with celebration and fanfare.

During the re-opening of the facility, there was lifting of petrol to the excitement of the cheering crowd.

However, less than 10 trucks of petrol were lifted that day as against widespread claims that about 200 trucks carried petrol out of the bay.