Zamfara State Government says it has procured 70 trucks of assorted fertilisers for sale at subsidised rate to farmers across the 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Alhaji Abubakar Sarkin-Pawa, made the disclosure at a news conference in Gusau, on Monday.
Sarkin-Pawa said the commodity would be distributed to both commercial and smallholder farmers at a subsidised rate of N7,000 per 50kg bag for the 2021 cropping season.
The commissioner refuted claims being circulated on social media that the commodity was being sold to farmers at N12,000 per 50kg bag.
He directed all local government secretaries to collect their allocations from the state’s Ministry of Agriculture, for onward distribution to the farmers.
According to him, all farmers in the state have equal rights to purchase the commodity.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, in a separate statement refuted the purported sale of the commodity at a higher price.
Dosara said: “The attention of the state government has been drawn to an audio clip in circulation on social media, in which the author allegedly claimed that government has directed local government councils and traditional rulers and, farmers to buy the fertiliser at N12,000 per 50kg bag.
“It is not true. It is nothing but an attempt to smear the good image and reputation of the state government.
“The government of Zamfara has purchased enough fertilisers for this year’s farming season and had similarly ordered the sale at N7,000 per bag, as part of its subsidy to farmers.
“The government is doing everything possible to help farmers in the state to ensure bumper harvest of food and cash crops,in all the nooks and crannies of the state, as part of its efforts at ensuring food security.
“Members of the public are therefore, advised to report anybody found sabotaging government’s efforts in this direction.”