The federal government has begun the distribution of free farm inputs to more than 560 rural farmers in Kogi State

The distribution is on the platform of the Value Chain Development (IVCDP) Programme supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Speaking at the inauguration on Friday in Lokoja, the National Programme Coordinator, FGN/IFAD-VCDP, Dr Fatima Aliyu, said that the gesture was to boost food security and cushion the damaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic on rural farmers.

She noted that that the VCDP was a joint programme of the Federal Government and IFAD and is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to her, the project aims at improving the incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava on a sustainable basis.

”In early 2020, there was an outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic which affected the world and disrupted farming activities and food systems.

”To cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on farmers, IFAD gave a grant tagged Rural Poor Stimulus Facility (RPSF) to VCDP through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

”The grant is meant for vulnerable farmers in VCDP states of Enugu State, Kogi, Nasarawa State, Anambra, Benue, Niger, Taraba and Ebonyi to sustain production and help them recover more quickly from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

”Through the RPSF 2,793 vulnerable farmers will receive agro inputs to support their farming activities.

”A total of 560 farmers will receive these inputs free consisting of 40kg certified rice seeds, 2 litres of herbicides, two bags of NPK fertiliser and one bag of Urea fertilizers in Kogi state,” she said

Aliyu was overwhelmed by the efforts and commitment of the state programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh, saying that is why Kogi State is always ahead of others in the COVID 19 palliative.

She noted that VCDP would also provide extension services to targeted farmers who would receive trainings on good practices in the application of fertiliser and agro-che.

”We recognizse and appreciate the support of IFAD in our quest to improve the livelihoods of our small holder farmers and specifically to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the agricultural sector particularly for VCDP farmers.

”To our respected farmers, we implore you to make judicious use of the inputs. The inputs are not meant to be sold out but for you to use them on your farms.

”We are going to support you with extension services and monitor your progress to ensure you have better yields to enhance your food security and incomes and ultimately your standard of living,” Aliyu said.

He thanked Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi for his commitment and support to the VCDP, and assured him of their unwavering collaboration with the state to improve the livelihoods and income of the farmers.

In his remarks, the Kogi Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr David Apeh, who inaugurated the inputs’ distribution, said that government would not relent in providing secured environment for farming activities to thrive in the state.

Earlier, the State Programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh, expressed her joy and fulfillment over the exercise, urging the farmers not to play with their tomorrow by selling the input.

She said that the 560 rural farmers cut across the four rice producing local government areas of Lokoja, Ibaji, Ajaokuta and Kabba/Bunu, adding that the initiative was meant to reduce the pains brought on the people by the outbreak of the pandemic.

She noted that IFAD-VCDP operations and activities which started two years ago had made positive impacts on the lives of the rural farmers.

She said that since inception, many communities across the state were provided with rice processing centres with processors, drying slabs and solar powered boreholes, among others.

She thanked the state Government. Yahaya Bello for providing the enabling environment for the IFAD/VCDP programmes to thrive in the state.

She assured that IFAD would collaborate with relevant stakeholders for effective monitoring and supervision of the beneficiaries down to their farms for judicious use of the inputs,”Adejoh said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr Salihu Abdullahi, Chairman Magajiya farm cluster, Lokoja, commended the IFAD-VCDP for the initiative to alleviate the sufferings of rural farmers.

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No fewer than 560 vulnerable rural farmers in Kogi would benefit from the Rural Poor Stimulus Facility (RPSF), aimed at cushioning the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on rural farmers.

The RPSF is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Value Chain Development Programme, supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (FGN/IFAD-VCDP).

Speaking to journalists on Friday in Lokoja, Prof. Aminu Suleiman, who led a Team on a Supervision Mission to Kogi, said they were in the state to access the level of preparedness towards the implementation of the RPSF.

According to him, the RPSF is a grant given to rural rice farmers to cushion the shock of COVID-19 pandemic across the States of the federation including Kogi State.

Suleiman expressed satisfaction with the preparation on ground in Kogi, and commended the State Gvernment for its commitment to supporting the IFAD programmes in the state.

He further applauded the State’s Programme Coordinator, Dr Stella Adejoh and her team for always put in all their best to see to the successful implementation of all IFAD-VCDP projects in the state.

On her part, Dr Stella Adejoh, State Programme Coordinator of IFAD/VCDP, said lots of people lost their means of livelihood during the COVID-19 pandemic, and consequently faced with hardships.

She explained that the IFAD decided that such vulnerable persons affected by the pandemic in the society should be helped in order to bring them out of their poverty situation.

She said the farmers would be provided with grant inform of inputs by IFAD such as fertilizer, certified rice seed, selective and non selective herbicides, among others.

She noted about 80 per cent of the farmers’ beneficiaries are women and youths who have been profiled and validated by a team of consultants from IFAD who came to the state in 2021.

She said a total of 560 rural farmers cut across the four rice producing local government areas of Lokoja, Ibaji, Ajaokuta and Kabba/Bunu, in the state.

According her, the inputs include: 1400 bags of NPK fertilizer, 461 bags of Urea fertilizer, 186 pieces of both selective & non-selective herbicides, and 340 bags of 50kg (17 tonnes) of certified Rice seed Faro-44.

Dr Adejoh added that the State Government provided IFAD with warehouse at Kogi ADP office where those inputs were being stored.

”We want to thank Kogi State Government who has provided the enabling environment for the IFAD/VCDP programmes to thrive in the state.

”I feel very excited because of the feedback we are getting and the support the programme is receiving from the Kogi State Government.

”I am very happy and grateful to His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, for always supporting Agricultural Development Programmes in the state,” she said.

She assured that IFAD is collaborating with the International Fertiliser Distribution Company, who would give support in the area of inputs’ distribution, monitoring and supervision to ensure proper utilisation the intended purpose.

”We will monitor the beneficiaries down to their farms for effective utilisation of the inputs,” Adejoh said.

Earlier, the team paid a courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. David Apeh, where they thanked the State Government for fully supporting VDCP activities in the state.

Apeh assured the team of the commitment of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, to continue to give the needed support to the program for the benefits of Kogi rural farmers.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Kogi ADP, Mr Bello Ogirima George, who warehoused the farm inputs, thanked the VDCP for the initiative.

He, however called for more collaboration and support for ADP, saying it would go a long way in strengthening the activities of IFAD/VCDP in the state.

The team further interacted in separate discussions with the farmers’ women and youth groups in both Kabawa and Magajiya clusters to know the plight and challenges being faced.

The team lead encouraged the farmers to be more hardworking to increase the size of their farm land from one hectare to three hectares, saying government was ready to assist them with the needed inputs as well as buying their farm produce through offtakers no matter the quantity.

In their separate comments, the youth and women leaders of both Kabawa and Magajiya Clusters, Seidu Liman and Aishat Abdullahi respectively, commended the VCDP for the intervention and promised to judiciously utilised the inputs.

”We are very excited for the intervention especially after this COVID-19 pandemic, we are grateful to them,” Liman said

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The Kogi State Government has inaugurated the State Research Team, to monitor and investigate the effect, adverse reactions and level of tolerance of COVID-19 Vaccine.

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna Audu, who inaugurated the research team shortly after the flag-off of COVID-19 vaccination in Lokoja, said the team would carry out research on some few areas of attention regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Audu noted that the team members, who are specialists drawn from various profession in the health sector, would investigate reasons why Kogi State had been relatively spared from the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that the team would also monitor the utilisation of COVID-19 vaccines while also looking at the adverse reactions that might follow the vaccination exercise, and come up with a report on that.

According to him, even though there is Federal agency that is already doing that, but for us as a state, health is on the concurrent list, and it is part of our resolves to ensure that the people of Kogi are safe and their well-being is paramount to us.

The Commissioner added that the other area where the team would work on, was the usefulness of the Hydroxyl Chloroquine, Zinc and the Mectizan, and make recommendations that could positively affect Kogi State.

He stressed that the State had been very proactive, and was the first state to bring a novel idea on the COVID-19 Self Assessment App, and also demonstrated the usefulness of Rapid Test Kits for quick assessment.

He added that Kogi had rejected those imported foreign strategies that do not work in Nigeria’s terrain, which could had imprisoned Kogi people such as the lockdown and restrictions of economic activities, among others.

”These are areas where Kogi has really excelled. Kogi has been on top of the situation as far as the prevention and control of COVID-19 is concerned.

”We are also leading in terms of health infrastructural development so that we can cope with any outbreak in the process.

”We are building two massive Infectious Disease Hospitals; one in Ajaokuta and the other one in Kogi LGA. We have Ultra Modern Referral Centre that is arguably the best hospital in Nigeria, which is in the making.

”We have the Reference hospital in Okene. We are also revamping the existing health facilities, like the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, Zonal Hospital Idah, Teaching Hospital Anyigba, and the General Hospital Isanlu.

”This is what we are doing in the health sector not forgetting our highly impactful healthcare programmes like Bello Care, Healthcare Plus, and the Renewed mission in the State Health Insurance Agency”, he said.

The Commissioner emphasized that the state was doing a lot in implementing the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund of the Federal Government ,and was expanding the reach.

He added: ”Kogi State is contributing beyond the 25 per cent mark specified by the FG so that the project can be accessed by more of our people.

”Our intension is to accelerate our match towards attainment of the Universal Health Coverage in Kogi State and by extension Nigeria”.

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The chances of Ekiti state to win more medals in combat sports were on Monday brightened following the victory of Mordecai Ofe in the heavyweight male Taekwondo category.

The Ekiti state taekwondo fighter defeated his counterpart from Borno state to emerge among contenders for medals at the National Sports Festival tagged Edo 2020.

The taekwondo fighter who sustained slight injury in his first fight is expected to put aside the injury scare and step unto the mat again today in continuation for his quest to win a medal.

Elsewhere, athletics events will begin on Friday while some of the boxers from Ekiti state will step into the boxing ring today

Ahead of Friday’s commencement of the athletics events, Ekiti state head of coaching who also doubles as the state athletics coach, Isiaka Oluyemi has expressed optimism the state will surely win medals in track and field events.

Actions in athletics will be held at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin same place where other games like swimming, badminton, tennis among others are being held.

Ekiti state is contesting in 18 Sports at the National Sports festival tagged Edo 2020.

In the meantime, it has now been confirmed that the widely circulated news about sHopes, embers of Team Kogi Covid19 positive status was untrue .

Findings showed that after series of tests conducted by the NSF medical team. none of the athletes not officials tested positive as earlier reported in some media .

The contingents, were subjected to rigorous tests by officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) who later declared all 41 athletes and 35 officials from Kogi reportedly tested negative.

Qozeem Oladapo
Team Ekiti NSF Media

Kogi State Government on Monday night eventually took delivery of about 16, 900 doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccine, to be flagged off in the state on Tuesday.

Dr Abubakar Yakubu, the Executive Director of Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), led a team of officials from the agency and Kogi Ministry of Health to receive the vaccines at the National Programme on Immunization (NPI) Unit of the State Central Medical Store, Lokoja.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after taken delivery of the vaccines, Yakubu said that the most awaited COVID-19 vaccines arrived Kogi from Abuja at about 7:40 pm, saying the state was well prepared for it.

”We have about 16,900 doses of the vaccine, and by tomorrow Tuesday we hope to flag off the campaign in the Ministry of Health.

”The firstline of recipients of the vaccines are the health workers which will be demonstrated on Tuesday by 12 noon at the ministry.

”The vaccine administration will be followed by the frontline essential non health workers like the police, military, NSCDC, Custom men among others”, Yakubu said

He added that the Ministry intended to carry out the campaign as efficient as they could because the state was a bit behind scheduled compared to other States, who had almost completed their 10 days mandatory campaign for the administration of the vaccines.

The Executive Director noted that the state was initially expecting about 45, 000 doses of the vaccines from NPHCDA, which accounted for one per cent of the total population of Kogi State.

”But to our surprise, we are being supplied with 16,900 doses now, I think there will be further reconciliation to send the balance of the doses as soon as possible”, he said.

Also speaking, Alh. Acheku Yusuf, Kogi State Health Promotion Officer, said the Ministry had solicited the support of all relevant stakeholders, and running jingles to ensure adequate sensitisation of the people about the vaccines.

On her part, Mrs Bilikisu Adagiri, the State Cold Chain Officer, said the state was fully prepared for the administration of the vaccines to people above 18 years.

Mr Olumide Ade-Yeye, the Vaccine Security and Logistic Consultant, UNICEF Kogi, said they were happy as a State to be part of those who would participate in COVID-19 vaccination.

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Against the expectations that representative of Kogi State might be found wanting from participating in this year National Sports Festival due to the position of Governor Yahaya Bello on the current deadly corona virus pandemic, all the contingents have tested negative to the virus.

This was confirmed in a test conducted by officials of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, (NCDC) at the University of Benin, Edo State.

Athletes, officials, and journalist took turns to conduct the test which all turns out to be negative after the result was release in the early hours of Sunday.

Before the Covid-19 test was conducted for Kogi State contingents, all were subjected to wait outside for more than seven hours in a bid to know their through status of the deadly virus.

It could be recalled that 41 athletes, and 35 officials will be representing Kogi State in the 20th edition of the NSF currently holding in Benin Edo State.

Kogi State is expected to participate in Boxing, Weight lifting, boxing, Chess, Ayo, Table tennis and Tennis.

Speaking on this development, the Kogi State Director of Sports, Mr Onipe Halli said the Covid-19 text rest has further vindicated Governor Yahaya Bello’s position that there is no corona virus in Kogi State.

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The Rivers state Athletes to the forthcoming National Sports Festival today got vaccinated as they intensify preparations for the festival.

The development is in tandem with the directive of the Honourable Sports Minister, Mr. Sunday Dare that athletes and officials that will be part of the multi sports event must get vaccinated.

The Covid-19 Vaccine boosts the immune system and to a large extent prevents the novel virus from penetrating.

The 2021 National Sports Festival is scheduled to hold in Benin City, Edo State between April 2nd and 15th. It was shifted twice because of the pandemic which also halted other Sporting events globally.

With the opening ceremony in sight, arrangements are in top gear by Team Rivers to record a colourful outing. The State government has also charged the athletes to dazzle everyone and be the Cynosure of all eyes.

Rivers state is one of the leading states tipped to do well at the 20th National sports Festival due to its numerical strength, quality of athletes and officials as well as the government’s willingness to develop and promote the sports sector.

Ahead of the 2021 Nigeria National League season scheduled to kick off on February 13, players and officials of Ogun State based FC Nilayo have all tested negative for Covid-19.

President of the club Mr Ebidowei Oweifie noted that the outcome of the test is a morale booster which puts the team in a positive mood ahead of the season opener.

“We are glad with the development, anything contrary could have divided the focus, but thankfully, it has further put us in a shape where we can begin our campaign on a positive note”

General Manager of the club Mr Lekan Kelani who expressed delight with the development opined that the clean bill of health was as a result of the stringent measures being put in place by everyone at the club in tandem with the global Covid-19 protocols, he also heaped praises on the Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state, Dr. Kehinde Oluwadare who facilitated and footed the testing for all the League Clubs in the state.

He said “We have always maintained that it is pertinent to observe the protocols, players and officials are aware of the stand of the management on not leaving anything to chance”

Special appreciation to the Hon. Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Ogun State, Dr. Kehinde Oluwadare, his immense financial and moral support was unbelievable, it’s evident that the state government is keen on sports development and promotion. On behalf of our proprietor Hon. Bukola Olopade, we are extremely grateful for the support and the enabling environment”

FC Nilayo will entertain Nnewi United at the MKO Abiola stadium, Abeokuta on Saturday February 13 in the opening day of the League.

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No fewer than 29 players and 11 officials of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC on Friday under go COVID-19 test.

The team led by its Coordinator, Andulmalik Olasunkanmi, had the test at the Sobi Isolation centre, Ilorin.

Addressing journalists at the Kwara Stadium Complex, Ilorin after the test, on Saturday, the ABS Coordinator said what happened on Friday was part of requirements to begin the 2020/2021 Nigeria National League (NNL), season.

He said ABS is a club that does not joke with international best practices when it comes to the running of its day to day activities.

Olasunkanmi explained that as part of activities to ensure a safe environment for all players and officials of NNL clubs, it was important to conduct the test and expressed the hope that other teams would follow same path.

The late Emma Ibah was until his death the chairman of the Akwaibom state Football Association where he showcased diligence, responsible and responsiveness in the discharge of his duties.

Club Owners said such a humble, easy going and committed Football chieftain would be missed by all the Football stakeholders especially for his support to the growth of grassroot Football in his domain.

The Association further said that his death was more painful considering that he was planning for his wedding ceremony this weekend which was to be attended by Chieftains of the NFF and some notable Football stakeholders

Club Owners in sympathy message jointly signed by the chairman Barr. Isaac Danladi and the Executive Secretary Alloy Chukwuemeka commiserate with the entire board, Management and staff of the NFF, his state FA , Akwa united football club , his immediate family and friends over his untimely death.

Club Owners prayed for the repose of his soul and for God to give the family and friends of the late chairman Protocol and ceremonial committee of the NFF the fortitude to bear the loss.