Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has taken a step towards enhancing food production in the state, as well as making agriculture a thing of interest to tourists visiting the state.
That is why the State government has put a committee in place to promote the practice of farming in the state. Governor Eno, while inaugurating the Committee on Agriculture said the mandate of the committee is to boost the production of food and ensure that the state achieves food security.
Akwa Ibom is one of the states that are endowed with arable land that is required to be one of the states that would be regarded as the food basket for the country. But the authorities and the youthful population there appear to be reticent, as they show little interest in agricultural practice.
Most of the staple foods consumed in the state are sourced from other states like Edo, Delta, Cross River and Benue.
That is the narrative that the governor wants to change.
Speaking while inaugurating the committee, Governor Eno directed it to “work closely with small holder farmers, and other stakeholders to achieve food security and price stability.”
While the governor stated that the State has potential in agriculture, he added that more work was required in the oil palm sector and, therefore, urged the committee members to recommit themselves to the vision of agricultural revolution.
He said, “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 emphasised 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.
Observers are eager to know how the committee would deliver on its mandate. The reason for the apprehension was yh failures that had been recorded by similar committees in past.