We’ll construct earth dams to boost all year round farming – Plateau governorship candidate

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Plateau, Dr Nentawe Yilwatda has said that he would build earth dams to boost all year round farming if eleceted.

Yilwatda stated this on Thursday at a town hall meeting in Rukuba Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government of the State.

The governorship candidate said that initiative would improve food production, generate revenue for the individual and state.

He pointed out that due the climate change, the rain water was sometimes insufficient even during rainy season leaving crops to dry up.

“We will boost all year round farming by building earth dams in strategic locations for our farmers to be growing their crops at least three times.

“We are not saying that we’ll build standard dams for irrigation, we will use earth moving machines to excavate the dams in order to store water to be used for that purpose.

“Again, if you want to help a farmer, don’t just give him fertilizer, give improved seeds to our farmers.

“We will work with relevant stakeholders like Seed Council of Nigeria to get improved seeds to increase our farmers’ yield,” he added.

The governorship hopeful also said that he would set up vulnerable group trust fund to support vulnerable groups like women, youths and people with disabilities.

He told the stakehokders that 10 per cent of the state revenue would be reserved for the trust fund.

According to him, the vulnerable people would be given grants from the trust fund to start up businesses to make them self reliant.

“These groups hardly benefit from government contracts and other benefits.

“We will used the money to empower the people to engage in bussiness to improve their standard of living,” he stated.

The Chairman, Bassa Local Government, Mr Stephen Igmala urged the people of the local government to vote APC candidates who were nominated to impact the lives of the people.

Mrs Nendirmwa Ajijelek, Secretary, Bache Women wing told the governorship candidate that if elected, he should construct a road to link the three chiefdoms.

Ajijelek said that the road would further unite the people as they would be buying and selling in the same markets.