Senator Ali Ndume, the lawmaker representing Borno South senatorial district is in the news again. This time, however, it is not about what he has said or the political correctness or otherwise of such statements. Rather, the legislator is in the news for the good that he has done in his constituency. That good deed is that Senator Ndume unveiled the second phase of the distribution of 2,800 assorted bags of fertiliser to farmers across the nine (9) local government areas in his senatorial district.
Ndume said the gesture, which was facilitated through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, is to rejuvenate agriculture and enhance bumper harvest in the zone. The first phase was unveiled recently where a total of 16,000 people benefitted from across the Council areas of Biu, Damboa, Chibok, Gwoza, Hawul, Shani, Bayo, Askira- Uba and Kwaya Kusar.
Flagging off the exercise in Bayo, Ndume, represented by his legislative Aide, who is also the Chairman of the distribution committee, Hon. Usman Aliyu Babandi, said, “We are here today as part of the distribution of additional 2,800 bags of fertiliser to our people. This is the second phase, as we have distributed fertiliser and other farm inputs to 16,000 people since the beginning of the rainy season.”
In his characteristic frankness, the legislator admonished the beneficiaries to use the farm inputs in their farms, instead of trading it out for immediate gain. He told them, “Let me use this opportunity to call on beneficiaries not to sell the product but to use it for the purpose intended.” Ndume, who was vociferous in condemning the administration of President Bola Tinubu on the eve of the #EndBadGovernance protest that he lost his position among the leadership of the senate, surprised many people when he spoke to them about the protest. Hear him: “I want to also commend the people of Southern Borno Senatorial District for not joining the nationwide protests, as they were mostly busy on their farms and engaging in other businesses.” Was that a disapproval of the protest or merely a commendation of his people for their industry? However, Ndume is on record to have regretted his pronouncement before his removal as Senate Chief Whip.
In their separate vote of thanks, Mallam Isa Ali from Kwaya Kusar, Mohammed Gonguli from Hawul, Babayo Umoru from Bayo, and Bello Yakubu from Biu, among others, applauded Senator Ndume for his good representation at the national assembly. They all pledged not to sell the fertilizers given to them but would use them on their crops to enhance agricultural productivity.
