18th November, 2016
The Federal Government would commence renovation work on the Lafia Central Abattoir on Monday, Nov 21, according to Alhaji Lawee Aiyu-Yusuf, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Water Resources.
The Commissioner, who disclosed this in Lafia on Friday, said that the gesture was part of the Federal Government’s efforts toward improving the standard of living of Nigerians.
The commissioner, while receiving the House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, who were on an oversight visit to the ministry, said that government made the renovation a priority in view of the relevance of abattoirs to human health.
He commended efforts by both the federal and state governments toward improved agricultural yields and called for more interventions by the federal government to complement efforts by the state government.
The official lauded Gov.Tanko Al-Makura’s prompt response to the demand for fertilizer and other farming inputs, saying that the gesture had boosted food production this season.
He said, however, that his ministry was unable to achieve 100 percent budget performance, and blamed that on inadequate funds and current economic challenges.
The commissioner identified a shortage of manpower, vehicles, high overhead cost and decayed infrastructure as major challenges confronting the ministry, and solicited for the lawmakers’ support in that direction.
Earlier, Alhaji Abubakar Kana,(APC-Kokona West), Chairman of the committee, had said that the visit was not a witch hunt but to assess the 2016 budget performance index with a view to addressing challenges.
“The committee needs to know the budget details and performance of the ministry in the 2016 fiscal year; this will serve as a guide while considering demands submitted in the 2017 fiscal year,” he said.
He expressed the assembly’s readiness to collaborate with the executive arm and other stakeholders toward addressing challenges faced by stakeholders involved in the food production chain.