Abia to invest more in agriculture to boost economy

targets 400,000 stands of oil palm seedlings

Following the downward trend in the price of crude oil, which has also affected the revenue of the Federal Government, the Abia State government has said that it would invest more in agriculture to boost its economy.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who revealed this at a press briefing in Umuahia, said the state would invest heavily in some cash crops it had comparative advantage, which included palm oil, cassava and cocoa.

To drive the process, he announced that the state would sponsor 40 youths to the Songhai Farm in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin, to understudy Godfrey Nzamujo’s template in integrated agriculture.

He said the government would continue to do massive planting of the exotic species of oil palm, as the demand for palm oil and its allied products were increasing daily, noting that the state was targeting to plant about 400,000 stands of oil palm seedlings in the years ahead.

According to him, “we understand that the Federal Government has stopped issuance of foreign exchange for purposes of importation of oil palm. So, as one of the best and productive belts for oil palm production, we have decided to target 400,000 stands of oil palm seedlings in the years ahead.

“And that is going to lead us to a huge army of young farmers, which we will lead from the state executive council to make sure that all of us contribute at least one to two hours every week in our huge farms.

“And God willing, by the year 2018, Abia State will launch back as one of the major producers and suppliers of oil palms and its ancillary products.”

He said his administration took a clear decision to focus on the economy and redefine its ability to fend for itself in a competitive economy of which its centre was becoming financially weak every month, and robbing off on the states.

“Nigeria being more or less a monolithic economy depended largely on oil has come under negative impact of that scenario, and in response to that the Federal Government has had to cut down on the resources available to state.

“And we agree right here in Abia State that we are not going to remain in the group of those who complain about inequalities or changes, which are imminent, rather we should involve creative ways of responding to these inequalities,” he said.