The Plateau Government has purchased large quantity of eggs from the state chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) in an offtake agreement.
Gov. Simon Lalong said this on Monday in Jos during the distribution of the mopped up eggs.
Lalong said that the measure was designed to alleviate the plight of farmers caused by the recent egg glut in the state.
He said that the mop up was the state’s first intervention in addressing the challenges facing poultry farmers in the state.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Danladi Autu, said that the state government would sustain the intervention by making them suppliers of eggs for the school feeding programme.
He said that poultry farmers had contributed to the internally generated revenue of the state, in addition to creating employment for the youths.
According to him, government will do anything possible to secure poultry business in the state.
Also, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Hosea Finangwai, said that schools, hospitals, correctional centres and orphanages in the state would be the first beneficiaries from the mop up.
PAN Chairman in the state, Johnson Bagudu, commended the government for the gesture.
Bagudu said that the measure would also help to bring back many farmers who had left the business.
He appealed to the incoming government to endeavour to sustain the gesture.
One of the beneficiaries and Chairperson, the Association of Orphanages and Home Operators in Nigeria in Plateau, Mrs Kyenpiya Nyabam, commended the government for the gesture.
Nyabam also said that 2,000 orphans in the state would benefit from the eggs.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PAN distributed eggs to some schools in the state and rakes to emphasise the importance of clean school environment.