Plateau govt to recruit 400 ad hoc agric officers

Simon Lalong, Plateau State Governor

The Plateau Government has concluded plans to recruit 400 agric extension officers, Mr Philip Gonap, Programmes Manager, Plateau Agricultural and Development Programme (PADP) said on Thursday in Jos.

Gonap told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the recruitment became necessary and would cushion the long existed inadequacy of extension workers in the state.

“The Governor has given approval that 400 extension workers be employed on ad hoc bases in the state.

“This is seriously a commendable development, because with this huge number coming on board, agricultural activities in the state will soon achieve a massive milestone.

“Farmers will get the needed education on modern farming skills.

“Before now, farmers in the rural areas don’t get to have the required education on modern farming techniques because there were not enough extension workers on ground.

“So, this will boost the capacity of the field officer to enhance the dissemination of recommended agricultural technologies across the state,” he said.

Gonap further said that those to be engaged would purely be professionals, and they would be directly used to inculcate the skills of modern farming in farmers at various communities in the state.

“We shall ensure that those we will engage must have either a Degree, Higher National Diploma or Ordinary National Diploma certificate in agric-related fields,” he said.

He said that the recruitment would be on ad hoc bases owing to the fact that the ban on employment in the state was still standing.

He commended the state governor for his determination and support towards boosting agricultural activities in the state, noting that Plateau would soon be the hub of agriculture in Nigeria.