Abuja — The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has been commended for the various efforts it has been making to make agricultural products more accessible to farmers in the territory.

To record more successes, some Civil Society groups have joined hands with the FCTA by mobilising farmers for more productivity this planting season.

Groups under the aegis of 'Friends of the FCT' said the decision to support the administration quest for food sufficiency was taken in view of the transparent and judicious manner which the Agric Secretariat has evolved in ensuring equitable distribution of fertiliser and treated seeds to local farmers of FCT.

Presenting a commendation letter to Secretariat's leadership, the National Co-coordinator of Friends of the FCT, Prince Nwazuruahu Shield, called on the Federal Government to institute an award for honoring public servant that have performed well.

He also commended the Secretary of Agriculture, Alhaji Bala Mustapha Batsari for evolving a system that allows the fertiliser to reach the peasant farmers in FCT. The group also urged other government agencies in the country to borrow a leaf from the FCT Agric secretary.

"After months of thorough, independent and critical observation of the manner and pattern of fertiliser distribution across the states in Nigeria, we resolved to work with the FCTA towards mobilising farmers to produce enough food that can feed the teeming population of FCT", he said.

To him, "we also agreed that the FCT Agriculture Secretariat be commended for standing out as the most transparent and dynamic government institution for truly distributing the products to real farmers".

Responding on the management's behalf, Batsari said the administration will continue to insist that farmers get the desire quantity of fertiliser to boost their harvest.

He explained that he had consulted with farmers and discovered that inadequate allocation of fertiliser remains a major impediment to food availability in FCT.

Batsari said he was worried when farmers told him at a meeting that in the past they struggled to purchase the product in vain; and assured all genuine farmers that Government would definitely make fertiliser available to them.