Hajiya Mariam Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the wife of the Bauchi State Governor, has provided empowerment assistance amounting to 400,000 naira to one Ukasha Ibn Safwan, a local Technician, who fabricated a five-row Planter.
The wife of the Governor presented the money to Mr Ukasha on Wednesday at his workshop in Bauchi.
Hajiya Mariam who was represented by her aides said that empowering youths who are into agro-businesses can go a long way in encouraging Bauchi young innovative minds to come up with more creations that can support local efforts towards reducing human labour in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“It is our vision to support young Bauchi citizens with innovative minds and creativity so as to reduce the burden of unemployment in the country.
“Bauchi state has abundant land resources that support farming to meet citizens’ food requirements thereby attaining self-sufficiency in food production.
“When we harness and support talents such as Ukasha’s, jobless youths roaming streets can be catered for to the extent that they can also employ others thereby assisting Bauchi state to actualise her full agricultural potentials,” she said.
She said it is on record that Bauchi State is the fifth-largest state in Nigeria in terms of landmass and the vast land of the state is arable.
Hajiya Mariam said that “since the coming of the administration of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, Bauchi State has been pursuing food security and an enhanced agro-businesses agenda in the state which led the state to sponsor over 200 youths to Nasarawa state to learn agro-business skills and the recent loan approval for the Bauchi Fertilizer Blending Company,” speaks about the governor’s commitment to improving agriculture in the state.
She urged the recipient of the empowerment to make the best out of it to be a role model to youths in Bauchi State.
Responding, Ukasha Ibn Safwan, the beneficiary thanked Hajiya Mariam Bala Abdulkadir for the gesture saying that the move showed her compassion for youths in Bauchi State.
He said that with the support, he will consolidate an effort to come up with more agro-based inventions to assist local farmers in the state.
Mr. Ukasha had invented a five-row planter named The UKC