By Bologi Ibrahim
The Governor of Niger State, Farmer Mohammed Umaru Bago, is setting aside 500 million Naira to start small farms for the Fulani people.
Farmer Umaru Bago said this when he met members of the Bago Ruga Ruga Fulani group. The group was led by their Coordinator, Alhaji Hassan Usman Shiroro. They visited the Government House to thank the governor and show him some vegetables they grew.
Governor Umaru Bago said he was happy to see that encouraging the Fulani people to farm is working well.
He explained that the plan is to help Fulani people who lost their jobs because of bandit attacks. Farming will give them a new way to earn money.
Farmer Umaru Bago said the Bago Ruga Ruga program will make sure that in every community where Fulani people live, Niger Foods will help them farm by giving them land, seeds, and farming tools.
He said the goal is for Fulani people to contribute to building the nation through farming and other work.
The governor also asked the Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs to find all nomadic schools in the state. This will help start farms and livestock businesses near those schools.
Alhaji Hassan Usman Shiroro, the Coordinator of the Bago Ruga Ruga group, said they came to thank the governor for his strong support. They feel hopeful because of his help to get the Fulani people farming.
Usman Shiroro said the vegetables they grew with support from the Niger State Government and Niger Foods have helped many women and young people from different local areas. This matches the governor’s vision.
One woman leader from the group, Inna Wuro, spoke for the other women. She praised Governor Bago for caring about women’s growth in the state. She said the Ruga Ruga program will stay very important for the Fulani people.
The farmer governor was given a gift of peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables grown by the group members on their farms.
