Revamp Michael Okpara farm settlements, Ohanaeze begs Buhari, S’East govs

Innocent Duru

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC), has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari a  and the five South East governors  to revamp the abandoned Dr Michael Okpara’s farm settlements in the region.

The OYC in a statement signed by the President General , Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and the General Secretary, Mazi  Okwu Nnabuife  Ohanaeze Ndigbo,  said the group  had made  moves to revamp the farm settlements built by the late  Premier of the Old Eastern Region,  Dr. Michael Okpara  by “initiating talks with an Israeli agricultural company through an Abia born agric expert and consultant to establish a new mechanized farm settlement in line with National Livestock Transformation programme that will create about 500,000 jobs for the Igbo youths across 95 LGAs of South east.

“The OYC through her partner had secured approval from President Muhammadu Buhari in the recent past but will engage the South East governors on the establishment of regional mechanized farm settlements which will be a private-public business venture, with expectations of a Green House and a dairy farm capable of producing 1.5m litres of Israeli cow milk annually.”

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The group  lauded governors Dave Umahi and Okezie Ikpeazu’s agricultural models in Ebonyi and Abia states,  saying: “Abakiliki Rice remains a household name in the country with the recent closure of land borders in Nigeria.

Millions Eboyians have  been empowered through the Agricultural Empowerment Programmes of the Ebonyi State government and in Abia State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has created 40,000 jobs through Agricultural Youth Empowerment programmes.

“The government trained about 4,000 youths in various agricultural skills in partnership with National Roots Research Corp Institute,  Umudike, Ikwuano Abia and Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

The government also approved to pay the counterpart funds of N50million which was passed into law by Abia State House of Assembly to the Bank  of Agriculture for the assessment of soft loans of N250,000Naira capital investment for each youth that participated in the agricultural training with Bank of Agriculture.

We have confirmed that about 4,000 youths will benefit from the agricultural soft loan from Bank of Agriculture. We expect that 4,000 youths will employ 10 youths each and that will create additional 4,0000 jobs as we urge the government to do the needful ahead of April 2020 farming season.”