Vice President Kashim Shettima has commissioned 375 refurbished tractors in Borno State, in a major boost to agricultural mechanisation efforts in the region.
The tractors were said to have been restored by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) under its National Assets Recovery, Refurbishment and Redeployment Project, also known as the Asset Restore Project.
The commissioning ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Borno State Agricultural Mechanisation Authority (BOSAMA) in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Speaking at the event which took place on Sunday, Vice President Shettima commended Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for his leadership and dedication to improving agriculture in the state.
“My greatest commendation goes to the Governor of Borno State for his steadfast leadership,” Shettima said. He also applauded NASENI for its commitment to technological innovation and infrastructure development.
“We’ve seen NASENI play critical roles in areas such as renewable energy, compressed natural gas retrofitting, and now agricultural mechanisation. Solving Nigeria’s challenges requires local solutions, and agencies like NASENI are proving that’s possible,” he added.
Governor Zulum, in his remarks, traced the history of the tractors to Shettima’s time as governor of Borno State between 2011 and 2019.
“These tractors were originally procured by my predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, who acquired 1,000 tractors along with 250 units each of groundnut diggers, fertiliser broadcasters, rotovators, bailers, and 25 combined harvesters,” Zulum said. “It was a visionary investment aimed at transforming agriculture in Borno.”
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, and NASENI Vice Chairman and CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, also praised Governor Zulum for his ongoing efforts to modernise the state’s agricultural sector.
In a related development, Vice President Shettima also commissioned 351 new farm implements recently procured by the Zulum administration. According to the Borno State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Engr. Bawu Musami, the equipment includes 121 disc ploughs, 180 disc harrows, grain threshers, rotary slashers, and six-cubic-meter diesel tankers.
The initiative, as gathered by WorldClass247News, marks a significant step toward boosting agricultural productivity and ensuring food security in Borno State and the wider northeastern region.