FG to procure 10 million handsets worth N60b coming for farmers

The Federal Government is to spend about N60 billion to procure 10million telephone handsets from China and the US for free distribution to rural farmers across the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Ibukun Odusote, said the handsets would be made available to the farmers in the first quarter of this year.

She said the programme is aimed at establishing direct electronic communication between the government and farmers on agricultural matters, adding that the beneficiaries would be “women and youths” in rural areas.

“The handsets will be the tools with which to communicate with the farmers in the rural areas, deep deep into the interiors so that we will be able to communicate with them even in the hinterlands.”

Really? Is that really what the farmers need? Chai! Our government is unbelieveably amusing. N60 billion for handsets?  God help us!