Now you’re talking: FG to provide 10 million mobile phones to farmers

by Funso Ajewole

Ibukun Odusote, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday said the Federal Government is working on providing 10 million mobile phones to farmers by the end of March this year.

Odusote disclosed this during a sensitisation visits to Igan – Ipabi Community in Ijebu North East Local Government Area of Ogun State. She said government would spend between N40 billion and N60 billion in purchasing the handsets, adding that the handsets were produced in China and US.

According to her, the handsets will be produced specifically for rural farmers to enhance communication between government and farmers on issues bothering on agriculture, adding that the beneficiaries would be women and youths in the rural areas.

Explaining further, she said the handsets will be equipped with solar-powered components to supplement as chargers in the case of power failure.

“We are talking about 10 million handsets, each handset would be costing, may be N6000 or N4000 because it is in large number. We are not going to buy in pieces like that. We will buy directly from the manufacturing companies. We have agreement with some organisations in China and some in the United States; they are going to provide all these handsets for us because they are also interested in investing in the Agricultural sector in Nigeria. Therefore, you have the idea and estimate of the cost” Odusote said. “And I tell you that the money is available, it’s on ground. We are looking at the first quarter of this year to roll – out the phones and by the end of the first quarter, we are done and they will start hearing about out roll – out.”

She added that: “The handsets will be the tools with which to communicate with the farmers in the rural areas, deep deep into the interiors so that we will be able to communicate with them even in the hinterlands.”

The Permanent Secretary reiterated that the government was dedicated and committed towards promoting agriculture in the country, create jobs in the sector through the provision of fertilisers, seedlings and enabling accessibility to those facilities.

One comment

  1. 40 to 60 billion naira to buy handset for farmers? What a wise decision? How many times does rural farmers complain of handset to the Federal Govt? Is that farm implement or improved seedlings? Is that fertilizer or dams? How many jobs or roads can 60b fix? Our govt wants to use 60b to help China and US create jobs for their people while our teeming youths roam the streets for jobs that are not in existence. The minister wants to create contract for themself otherwise this is the most reckless decision ever mutted. Leaving squirrel to pursue rat.

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