Borno farmers laud govt over free ride

Borno State farmers have expressed their gratitude to the state government for introducing a complimentary bus service, which provides transportation to their farms.

The initiative particularly benefits farmers with landholdings on the periphery of Maiduguri, the state capital.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, a representative group of farmers expressed their appreciation, describing the state government’s free bus initiative as a significant relief.

“Many of us would have abandoned farming without this support from the government.

“My farm is in Tungushe village and I need a minimum of N2,000 for bus fare daily to go and come back.

“Our governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, and all those involved in the design of this programme, which they started last year and keep sustaining, deserve commendation and special prayers to continue to succeed, ” Yusuf Lawan said.

A female farmer, Yagana Mohammed, said without the free bus ride, she needed N800 daily to go to her farm.

“Where will I see N800 daily for transportation? I would have abandoned farming,” Mohammad said.

She expressed satisfaction with the steady rainfall being recorded and prayed for a bumper harvest in Borno and the nation in general for the needed relief against hunger.

“People are really committed to farming and we are getting the support from this administration.

“We pray for the needed security to cultivate more land as well as Allah’s blessings for a bumper harvest.”

Abubakar Ibrahim, Yohanna Buba, Filibus Ajiya and Rakiya Simon said they would have been spending nothing less than N3,000 daily to go to the farm with their children if the free bus service was not available.

“Things wouldn’t have been easy at all. This is one of the things any government that is really concerned about the masses and agriculture should be doing at this period. Transportation has remained a key factor in the cost of everything with the removal of fuel subsidy.

One of the drivers of the buses along Baga Road, Ali Shettima, said 16 buses were deployed along the road.

“We start work around 6 am and each bus has the capacity of carrying 100 passengers, including those standing.

“We are always around to take the farmers back home from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm,” Shettima said.

Mr. Mohammed Dahaya, a Director with the Borno Express Corporation, who oversaw the operation along the Maiduguri-Damboa Road, this route has the densest population of farmers, necessitating the deployment of 50 buses across four distinct routes to effectively transport them to their farms.

“We also involved 15 tricycles known as jega and 15 Isuzus,” he said.