By Khalid Idris Doya
The Bauchi state government has inaugurated a seven-member committee to screen beneficiaries and supervise the distribution of starter packs and grants to 1,250 trained youths and women under the Innovative and Integrated Agricultural Value Chain and Agribusiness Programme.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony yesterday in Bauchi, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Ilyasu Aliyu Gital, said the initiative reflects Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed's commitment to sustainable youth and women empowerment through agriculture.
He explained that the programme builds on the success of an earlier intervention in which 1,000 youths and women received training and starter packs, enabling many of them to establish agribusinesses and become employers of labour.
According to him, the current phase covers 1,250 beneficiaries who underwent training in 2025 at the International Skill Acquisition Centre (ISAC), CSS Farms, along the Keffi-Abuja Expressway in Nasarawa State recently.
"The programme is designed to consolidate the gains recorded in the first phase and expand agribusiness opportunities across the 20 local government areas of Bauchi State," Gital said.
He noted that the starter packs and grants would enable beneficiaries to apply the skills acquired during training, establish viable businesses, become self-reliant and create employment opportunities within their communities.
The commissioner disclosed that Governor Mohammed had approved an enhanced support package in line with prevailing economic realities to ensure beneficiaries derive maximum benefit from the programme while advancing the administration's goals of inclusive growth, poverty reduction and food security.
He described the intervention as a strategic investment in human capital and rural development, aimed at producing a new generation of modern farmers, processors and agripreneurs capable of driving value addition and innovation in the state's agricultural value chain.
Gital said the committee was constituted to ensure transparency, accountability and credibility in the disbursement process, adding that payments would be made at the local government level, with beneficiaries receiving their cheques in person.
He said the committee is expected to verify the 1,250 trainees, organise the beneficiaries according to their respective local government areas, oversee the disbursement exercise across the state and submit a comprehensive report within two weeks.
The committee is also mandated to ensure that all beneficiaries appear in person to receive their cheques and may co-opt additional persons where necessary to facilitate its assignment.
The commissioner urged members to discharge their responsibilities with diligence, fairness and professionalism.
"Let transparency be your guiding principle, let prudence govern your decisions, and let the spirit of service to the state guide your actions throughout the exercise," he said.
He assured the committee of the ministry's support through logistics, data and monitoring mechanisms, while urging members to work closely with local government authorities, security agencies and community leaders to ensure a smooth and credible exercise.
Although the commissioner did not disclose the total cost of the programme, he said each beneficiary would receive a grant worth hundreds of thousands of naira to enable them establish sustainable businesses and become self-reliant.
He noted that the financial support approved under the current scheme is significantly higher than what was provided in previous intervention, adding that Governor Bala Mohammed will personally announce the exact amount soon.
The committee is chaired by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ibrahim Yusha'u Isah. Other members are Babaji Maijama'a, Director of Agricultural Services; Ibrahim Ishaku, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics; representatives of the Accountant-General and Auditor-General of Bauchi State; Yusuf Madiya, Training Officer; and Shehu Yakubu Usman, Director of Administration and Human Resources, who will serve as Secretary.
Responding on behalf of the committee, chairman Ibrahim Yusha'u Isah thanked Governor Bala Mohammed for the confidence reposed in the committee and pledged to carry out the assignment with integrity, transparency and professionalism.
He assured that every beneficiary would be properly verified before receiving payment and that the committee would strictly comply with its terms of reference.
"We shall document our processes and submit a comprehensive report at the end of the exercise, while working closely with all stakeholders to ensure a smooth, orderly and credible disbursement across the 20 local government areas," he said.
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