The APPEALS State Project Coordinator, Dr Sanni Abdullahi Ozomata alongside members of the state steering and technical committees of KOGI APPEALS inspected the ongoing construction of cottage processing and aggregation centres, farm access roads and the verification of farm inputs and equipment facilitated by the project to support farmers in the state.
The activity was aimed at ensuring that the ongoing projects, facilities and inputs are in line with the quality assurance policy and standards set up by the APPEALS project.
At the Central Senatorial District, the team visited the rice cottage processing centre at Geregu and the Cassava Cottage Processing Centre at Adogo and Uro. The cassava processing groups in Okuha Obanyi, Ageva, Kuroko and the rice processing group at Ganaja. The Agricultural training centre in Ageva housing the WYEP Integrated Farm Cluster and the 2.4km farm access road in Okengwe and a 3.1km farm access road at Uro was also visited.
The team was accompanied on the visit by the Executive Chairmen of Adavi Local Government, Hon. Joseph Salami and Ajaokuta Local Government, Hon. Mustapha Aliyu Akaa’ba).
They appreciated the APPEALS project for the various support it has facilitated for farmers in the state and express their support towards the quick implementation of the project in their domain.
At the Eastern Senatorial Districts, the team inspected the Cashew Aggregation Centre at Ochaja, Imane, Umomi and the 2.7km Asphalt Farm Access Road in Ochaja. The Rice cottage processing centres at Ejule Ojebe, and the different rice and cassava processing groups at Idah Egga market, Ogbogbo, Ejule, Igah-Ikeje, Ogodo- Omala, Agojoeju Omala, Egume, and Ojakpata-Ankpa.
The Omachi Attah Onu Ochaja in Dekina, Chief Yahaya Musa welcomed the team and appreciated the State Project Coordinator for ensuring the Ochaja community is not left out of the project activities. He stated how happy he is by calling on the World Bank and other stakeholders to extend the APPEALS project in the state for another 15 years given the numerous achievements in a bid to transform the Agricultural sector of the state by referring to the appeal he made the previous week that the World Bank should extend the APPEALS Project in the state for another 15 years.
He commended the State Project Coordinator for his transparency in handling all the projects in the state.
At the Western Senatorial District, the team visited the ongoing construction of the Cashew Aggregation centre at Isanlu,& Cassava Cottage Processing Centre, Egbeda – Egga Ijumu. Cassava processing groups Egbe, Odo Ara, and Akiso Kabba Bunu. The team also visited Kabba College of Agriculture housing the WYEP Integrated Farm cluster.
In his remarks, The APPEALS State Project Coordinator, Dr Sanni Abdullahi Ozomata advised the farmers to make proper use of the farm inputs and facilities sustainably. He noted that the support is facilitated by the project for them free of any charge through the support of the state government. This he said was enabled by the support of the state governor for the APPEALS Project in the state.
The farmers expressed their gratitude and pledged their commitment to making the best use of the facilities to expand their farm business.
The monitoring team comprised the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. David Apeh, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Sanni Abdulganiyu, the Managing Director, Kogi State Agricultural Development Project, Mall. Bello George Ogirima, representative of the civil society organization in Kogi state, Head, Project Financial Management unit, Mrs Abiodun Ogririma and other APPEALS project implementation staff.