REPORTER: PEACE AGBO
Governor Alex Otti of Abia state says Agriculture remains the mainstay of the Nigerian economy and a central pillar of economic development for his administration.
Governor Otti stated this when he received the Management Committee of the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority, AIRBDA, led by its Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, at Nvosi Isialangwa South LGA.
Governor, Otti, who promised his administration’s full commitment to a collaborative partnership with the Anambra-Imo River Basin Development Authority said his administration focuses on transforming the Agricultural sector.
While highlighting his administration’s efforts which include identifying, reclaiming and revitalizing long abandoned farm settlements in the State, Governor Otti explained that the State is transitioning from subsistence farming to a value-chain approach.
He also highlighted major strides his administration has made so far in the Power Sector, noting that nine out of the seventeen Local Government Areas including Aba and Umuahia now enjoy constant power supply with plans to extend reliable power supply across the entire State.
The Governor established a joint technical committee to crystallise the partnership and
directed the Commissioners for Agriculture, Lands, Environment, and the Managing Director of the Abia State Investment Agency, to engage directly with the AIRBDA.
He charged the team to identify and deliver achievable results, reiterating that Abia State is open for business and committed to result driven collaboration.
Earlier, the Chairman, Anambra- Imo Development River Basin Authority, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, explained that the delegation’s visit to Abia State was part of a tour of South-East States to introduce the Committee Members and explore areas of collaboration.
Sen Anosike noted that although the headquarters of the Commission is in Imo, the team chose to commence its engagement in Abia because of its strategic importance, particularly in Agriculture, which falls within their core mandate.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s declaration of an emergency on food security and stressed the need for strong partnerships with States to revitalize Agricultural Production.
Senator Anosike lamented the decline in productivity on over 1,300 hectares of land formerly used for rice, cassava and fish farming within the South East region, and attributed it to weakened collaboration with States.
He appealed to the Abia State Government to support efforts to revive the Agricultural assets for the benefit of the region and reaffirmed the Committee’s readiness to work closely with the State and the South-East Development Commission in areas of Agriculture among others.
