Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has inaugurated an eight-member committee on Agriculture to boost food production and security.
Akwa Ibom though richly endowed with massive land resources, has been unable to develop its agriculture to feed the people.
Most of the staple food items consumed in the state are sourced from other states and it depends solely on foodstuffs from states like Edo, Delta and Cross River and Benue States
Speaking while inaugurating the committee, Eno directed it to “work closely with small holder farmers, and other stakeholders to achieve food security and price stability.”
He stated that though the State has potential in agriculture, saying that more work was required in the oil palm sector and urged the committee to recommit themselves to the vision of agricultural revolution.
“Let’s see how we can reach out to every farmer in this State. Can you at the press of a button reach a farmer in Ini Local Government Area? Can you know the farmer in Mbo who is a fish farmer? Can we as a State say to ourselves, this year, this is the kind of harvest we expect for cassava, for maize, for our fish and others.”
He reiterated plans to make the State a tourism hub, either through Agriculture, Sports, Health, and other sectors, and urged the Commissioner for Sports to take advantage of the maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival, to work out modalities of having an annual sports festival in the State.
The Governor emphasized that the mandate of the committee is not in any way in conflict with that of the Ministry of Agriculture, stressing that with the Commissioner for Agriculture as a full member of the committee, synergy was required to ensure success.
Responding, the Chairman, Prof. Okon Ansa, a Plant Virologist and former State Commissioner, said food security is the strength of any nation or people, adding that the strongest nations are also those that can feed themselves.
He thanked the Governor for considering them fit to serve the State through the committee and assured that they will put in their best to deliver on their mandate, and that the State will move strongly towards food sufficiency and security.
Other members of the committee are Prof. Trenchard Ibia, Dr. Etemudo Udongo, Amb. Alphonsus Inyang, Prof Elizabeth Ebukiba, Pastor Godwin Ukwat, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offiong and the Director of Agriculture Investment, Mr. Ofonmbuk Nelson as Secretary.
It remains to be seen, according to analysts what difference the committee would make to enhance food sufficiency when similar committees had failed in the past
Akwa Ibom Inaugurates Committee On Agriculture To Boost Food Production is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
