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Thousands Of Dry Season Farmers In Enugu Receive ATASP Water Pumps—-No fewer than 5,104 dry season farmers in Enugu State have benefited from the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase One (ATASP-1) water pumps for dry season irrigation farming.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dry season farmers drawn from 52 farming clusters (or farming cooperatives) are within the Adani and Omor farming zone.

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru,  presented the 52 water pumping machines to the farmers in Enugu.

Ubru said that the gesture was just the first step to ensuring that Enugu State became the hub of food production in the country.

He said that the Gov. Peter Mbah-led administration had resolved to support farmers and subsidise every effort to ensure food production and quality value-chain addition on farm produce in the state.

“More gestures to ensure you succeed are coming even as we are going to distribute inputs very soon and give real-time guidance and supervision to ensure you get it right.

“We want you to utilise all you have learnt in terms of good agronomy practices from ATASP for you to increase your yield this season as the state government has a target of one million metric tons of rice.

“So, we are looking at you people producing at last five tons per hectare of rice; as, a state that has its own rice brand, we (state government) will off-take all you produce and process.

“For those producing improved maize variety, our poultry farmers are already waiting to buy any maize produced in the state and the headache of the market for your produce had been taken off you.’’

The commissioner assured the farmers that tractors would be rolled out in the state very soon to make their farming easier and they cover more hectures or land mass.

“The state government through the initiative of our amiable governor will be providing you people with tractors that will improve your farming work, make it easier and make expansion highly possible.

“We have a talk-and-do governor, who has taken the pain to  conclude arrangement of providing tractors to farmers in the state; our tractors are on the way and will be available very soon,” he said.

Speaking, Dr Romanus Egba, the Programme Coordinator, ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Staple Crops Implementation Zone, commended the governor for paying the state’s counterpart fund for the programme.

“It is due to the state participating actively in the programme through counterpart fund payment; we are have the opportunity to receive these water pumping machines and other beneficial gestures to come soon.

“So, ATASP-1 is packaging this dry seasoning farming with about 5,104 dry season farmers in Enugu State, who are into rice and maize production;  it will be a farmer per hectare of farmland.

“We are also thanking the agriculture-friendly governor for putting huge support and subsidy in agriculture, its value-chain and entire food production exercise in the state.”

The programme coordinator also urged the farmers to ensure that they are active in the ATASP WhatsApp group platform to receive vital messages, get clear guidance, interact with other farmers, raise questions and complaints if need be.

“ATASP officials will actively monitor, supervise and guide the farmers though the WhatsApp group and practically visit to farms often; ee will support the farmers and their various cluster groups to succeed,” he assured.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Titus Ugwu, thanked ATASP-1, Mbah and the state Ministry of Agriculture for their overwhelming support for farming activities.

“As a rice farmer, this solar-powered water pumping machine will give adequate irrigation to my rice farm and definitely lead to increase in yield and better harvest,” Ugwu said.

Another beneficiary, Mrs Eunice Okafor, appreciated ATASP for given genuine support to farmers in terms of agronomy training, providing improved seedlings and inputs as well as this solar-powered water pumping machine.

The water pumps distributed included: 40 solar-powered and 12 petrol-powered easy-to-use water pumping machines.

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JUST IN: Kellyrae Wins BBNaija Season 9 No Loose Guard N100m Grand Prize [VIDEO]

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Kellyrae

JUST IN: Kellyrae Wins BBNaija Season 9 No Loose Guard N100m Grand Prize [VIDEO]—-Kellyrae, Big Brother Naija ‘No Loose Guard’ housemate, has been crowned winner of the season.

TCN reports that Kellyrae was announced with on the 71st day of the show.

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, host of the show, Ebuka, announced the winner on Sunday.

The eight housemates who made it to the finals were Soj, Anita, Nelly, Onyeka, Wanni, Victoria and Ozee.

As the competition winner, Kellyrae goes home with N100m of prizes.

Watch the moment below

Click HERE to watch

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Bobrisky: NCoS Anticipate Investigation outcome, Clarifies Inmate Admission Process

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Bobrisky

Bobrisky: NCoS Anticipate Investigation outcome, Clarifies Inmate Admission Process—-The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed an ongoing investigation into allegations surrounding convicted cross dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky’s accommodation, with findings pending.

Abubakar Umar, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO) disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

Umar also highlighted the service’s commitment to rehabilitation and safety through its comprehensive inmate admission process.

NAN recalls that Bobrisky was convicted for mutilating the naira in April and was sentenced to six months in jail.

NAN also reports that Mr Vincent Otse, social media influencer and human rights activist known as Very Dark Man (VDM) published an audio recording which captured Bobrisky allegedly saying that he spent his jail term in a private apartment.

The audio also captured Bobrisky allegedly saying that he paid N15 million to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials to drop charges of money laundering against him.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government, On Monday, Sept. 30,  inaugurated an independent investigative panel to prove allegations of corruption and gross violations of standard operating procedures within the NCoS.

The Minister Of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who inaugurated the committee said that the committee must also look at the recent allegations that some correctional service personnel had provided alternative accomodation for Bobrisky.

Umar, however, explained that inmates undergo comprehensive assessments to determine security risks, needs, and responsivity issues when brought to custodial centres.

According to him, the admission board evaluates each inmate to ensure safe housing and effective rehabilitation.

Umar who, outlined the service’s rigorous admission process for inmates, added that adherence to human rights principles through the approach was also paramount.

“Well, upon conviction of every offender from court, either awaiting trial or convicted, once they are brought to our facility, there is a process they go through before and during admission.

“Let me say during admission, there is what we call admission board, which comprises the officer in charge, the second in command, the medical officer in charge of the custodial center, the record officer and other relevant officers.

“They will go through the information contained therein in the warrants, also, before he will be allocated cell, there is what we call, determination of security.

“Determination of security refers to one’s risk assessment. The person risks self harm, safety of other inmate and officers. We also have what we call needs assessment, which is focused on criminogenic need areas.

“These are behaviours that may cause, criminal behavioural and other criminological needs.These are the things that we look into before an inmate is allocated cell.

“Furthermore, we also look at what we refer to as responsivity issues. There are things that can affect his participation in intervention or make it difficult for him to adjust to custodial life.

“So, having worked all this in, then it will be determined which cell such inmates will be allocated to,”he maintained.

According to Umar, during Bobrisky’s court appearance and subsequent admission to our facility, he was asked to declare his gender and he identified himself as male, but do not forget that, there are some other features that are on him.

“So because of those determination, I mean, what I refer to as classification and also determination of security of the custodial center, he was given an appropriate cell where he was kept.

“This is to also ensure that, he is not under threat within our custodial centers and he is kept safe also.

“Well, one thing I want to say here is that, the Minister of interior, has set up a committee to investigate the said alleged Bobrisky staying outside our custodial center.

“So until the determination of such or the outcome of such investigations, I think we should let it rest.

“I am only telling you that once an inmate or people are convicted, or are brought to our custodial centres, we have a standard of treatment to them during admission.

“They will be put through checks and these checks guide us on determination of security of such person both to the person and to the custodial center.

“But as to whether he was kept in our custodial facilities or he was kept outside the facility, until the determination of the outcome of the investigation on the allegations, I won’t be able to speak further on that,”he maintained.

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