As part of steps to further reduce the prevalence rate of the HIV/AIDS among rural dwellers in Ekiti State, the State Government has organized a 2-day training workshop for Officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture and Bureau of Rural Development.
Declaring the workshop open in Ado – Ekiti, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development, Hon. Bamitale Oguntoyinbo explained that the State Government organised the forum for the Officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Bureau of Rural Development because they
have day to day interaction with farmers and other people at the grassroots, noting that most of them do not have adequate information about the disease.
While stressing the important roles played by rural dwellers in economic development of the state, Hon. Oguntoyinbo stressed that the Fayemi administration was fully committed to the provision of good road network, potable water, electricity and qualitative health care services in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
He said though the present rate of HIV/AIDS scourge has continued to pose a serious threat to humanity since its discovery, ignorance about the illness among rural dwellers was responsible for the slightly higher prevalence rate among those living in rural areas.
The Special Adviser called for concerted efforts among all stakeholders to tackle the spread of HIV/AIDS among farmers and other dwellers of the rural areas in view of their important roles in the agricultural sector.
He noted that this prompted Government to set up a committee to stem the tide of HIV/AIDS in the agriculture and rural development sectors, adding that the committee will among other things create awareness among staff, farmers and other clients of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Bureau of Rural Development. Earlier in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, Mrs. Funmilayo Ajayi disclosed that available information indicates that over 3 million Nigerians are presently living with the virus.
She noted that people between the ages of 15 and 49 years who are in their most productive age were mostly affected by the illness.
She further said the training workshop which is another initiative of the Fayemi administration is designed in line with 8 point Agenda to empower the agriculture and rural development HIV/AIDS planning and implementation committee in order to expose them to basic facts in HIV/AIDS and as well as the effects of the scourge in Agric sector.
Last modified: December 3, 2012