‘My Vision is to Mechanise Agriculture in Bokkos’ – LGA Chairman, Yusuf Machen

By Jide Afolabi, Jos

The Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, Hon Yusuf Mahanan Machen, has said that his vision for the local government is to mechanise agriculture in the area.

While speaking with journalists today, Tuesday, at the office of the Bokkos Local Government at the Plateau State Local Government Pavillion at the ongoing 2019 Trade Fair, the Chairman stated that Bokkos is the Food Basket of Nigeria because 99.9 percent of the people have farms saying that he would ensure that necessary equipment is procured to achieve this.

Machen thanked the state Governor, Rt Hon Simon Bako Lalong for having Bokkos at heart.

He added that the governor sent the Chairmen to Germany for one week to acquire knowledge and put it to use here to better the lots of the people. He expressed his desire to acquire a machine that has the capacity to cultivate, plant, fertilise and clear everything at a spot. He stressed that he wants to bring this machine to the local government because he wants the local government to go into mechanised farming.

He said “We want to appreciate the governor for bringing back the Fertilizer Blending Plant which has been bastardised by the last regime back to Bokkos. This shows that the governor has people of Bokkos at heart.

“My appeal to the governor is to bring processing plant to Bokkos because agriculture is not just about farming and harvesting.”

While commenting on the 2019 Trade Fair, Machen said, “This year Trade Fair is different compared to others. I want to link this Trade Fair to the 3-Point policy of the President and the key point of our amiable governor of Plateau State which is peace, security, and governance. The Trade Fair is holding because the atmosphere is conducive as there are peace and security in the state. I have gone round and I saw a huge population.”

While reacting to the appointments of four caretaker committee Chairmen in four Local Government Areas of the state especially, Jos North, the Chairman said it is a political matter stressing that elections would be conducted in the LGAs as promised by the governor noting that the governor is a man of his word.

“On a very serious note, that is a political issue. God has a purpose for everything and whatever God has decided, no one can say no. We must learn to coexist together because that is what will give us peace. No matter your religion, no matter your colour, no matter your tribe, we must learn to live together.

“I know the problem is religion but God has a purpose why he allows Christians to lead and so also Muslims. The owner of the land, the indigene, must know they are the owner and those that come should know the truth, they should know that they have come. So, when we realise this, we coexist together. I don’t think there’s any problem. It’s just a matter of understanding each other.”

Machen recalled that elections were conducted on October 10, 2018, but could not hold in those local governments because of the security reports which indicated that those areas are flashpoints for early crises stating that the governors have people at heart and do not want any crises as a result of the election.

The Chairman urged people of the state to be peaceful stressing that elections would be conducted as promised by the governor.

Different farm produces like Irish potato, tomatoes, sorghum, different types of acha, maize, beans and fruits and palm oil among others was on display at the Bokkos stand.