By Ayodele Oni
Bauchi State Government has warned beneficiaries of agricultural enterprises fund not to spend the money to marry wives.
The governor presented cheques totalling ₦625 million to 1,250 youths to launch various agricultural enterprises across the state.
The beneficiaries recently completed a rigorous, state-funded two-week intensive training scheme at the International Skills Acquisition Centre (ISAC), located at CSS Farms in Gora, Nasarawa State.
The programme covered modern techniques in fisheries, poultry, livestock breeding, crop farming, and animal feed production.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony in Bununu community of Tafawa Balewa local government area of the state, Governor Bala Mohammed stated that the ₦500,000 startup pack given to each graduate is a deliberate investment in the state’s economic future rather than an act of charity.
“This intervention is an investment in productivity, enterprise, employment generation, and the future prosperity of our state.
“I urge you to invest these resources wisely to establish sustainable enterprises, create employment opportunities, and contribute meaningfully to food security” he said.
The Governor noted that the initiative builds on the success of a similar phase in 2021, where 1,000 participants received ₦450,000 each.
Many beneficiaries from that premier batch have since expanded into self-reliant employers of labour and community role models.
The success of the initial phase prompted the administration to expand the intake to 1,250 youth and women for the 2025/2026 cohort.
However, the Governor issued a stern warning against mismanaging the funds, strictly cautioning the recipients against diversionary spending.
“You must not use the money to marry wives; that is not the purpose. The Ministry of Agriculture is hereby directed to closely monitor the utilization of the money. Anyone who does anything different should be sanctioned” he stated.
To ensure transparency and safety, the Governor added that all payments are being issued via cheques directly through the Ministry of Agriculture, ensuring no beneficiary leaves the venue shortchanged or harassed.
Reactions from the beneficiaries have been highly positive. Yusuf Alkasim, a fishery graduate who has already set up local ponds in his family compound, expressed gratitude and stated that the ₦500,000 grant would enable him to scale up his capacity and hire local hands.
Another graduate, Mustapha Abdullahi, stated that he plans to immediately set up a processing plant for vital animal feeds using his startup capital.
The Ministry of Agriculture has set up a dedicated monitoring team to supervise the startups and offer technical support to ensure the program meets its economic targets
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