The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

Cost of court workers’ strike in Aba

Stakeholders in Aba, Abia State have expressed relief as court workers resumed duties after calling of their industrial action.

Court workers in the state downed tools last month, protesting, among other things, the refusal of the state government to grant financial autonomy to judiciary workers.

The situation, The Nation gathered, caused judicial lockdown in the state as matters for judicial consideration in various courts were placed on hold.

The strike has been called off, much to the relief of everyone. Some respondents described the call-off as a big relief for justice seekers whose cases had been pending in court since the industrial action started.

Our reporter who visited the Aba North and South Magistrate Courts along Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway and Old Post Office reports that staff members of the two courts were seen at duty posts attending to lawyers who were in court to pick new dates for their cases.

A Divisional Police Officers (DPO) who craved anonymity told our reporter that the prolonged strike action by judiciary workers made their detention cells to be overcrowded because they couldn’t arraign some of their suspects in court and could not grant them bail either because of the weight of the crime that they committed.

“Some of the suspects were hardened criminals who were caught with dangerous weapons such as AK-47, cut-to-size shot guns, live ammunition which they used for armed robbery, kidnapping, car snatching at gunpoint and what we do when we arrest such criminals is to immediately charge them to court from where they will be remanded in the prisons.“

Some lawyers including Mr Nkemakolam said due to the strike, many were denied justice when they needed it.

He said, “The last hope of the common man was shut down, giving room to security agencies and other individuals the opportunity to exploit and abuse the rights of others who would have come to court to seek justice. People have been held in police cells for over a month due to the inability of police to charge them to court.”

December 2, 2016
Shoemakers, other SMEs may leave Aba

Multiple taxation and impassable roads may drive the famous Aba shoemakers and other Small and Medium Enterprise operators out of Abia State’s commercial city, reports SUNNY NWANKWO

At the mention of Aba, you think of industrious craftsmen with magic fingers who can manufacture anything: shoes, bags, fridges, fabrics, even spare parts of almost anything. It can even be argued that these endowed industrialists and artisans have recreated Abia State’s commercial hub in their own image. Yet, the master craftsmen are so disenchanted they could move out of the city anytime soon.

Why? They complain of a very difficult and unprofitable business environment. They say they are overtaxed by various organisations and extorted by agents of the state government. They are also deeply troubled by the city’s impassable roads and excessive electricity tariffs. These things kill their business, they say.

The industrialists and other business owners at Osisioma Industrial Layout near Aba minced no words when they faced the state government. They will relocate their businesses if the state and Osisioma Local Government Council fail to address these issues, they told Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at the third edition of Abia State Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Forum.

The event was organised by the state government in partnership with Wider Perspective Ltd in Aba.

Some of the SMEs operators including Hon. Ejikeme Uzoma, Vice Chairman Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP), Aba Chapter, Mr. Mark and Mr. Humphrey Nwachukwu who spoke at the event listed multiple taxation by state and local government agents, extortion by agents of government and youths of Osisioma community, inaccessible roads, inadequate and high electricity tariff as some of the factors militating against the growth of their businesses in Aba and the state in general.

According to the industrialists, despite reducing their staff strength by over 65 per cent, the cost of production is still high when compared with their counterparts in other neighbouring southeast and Southsouth states.

They said they may be forced to relocate to other states with better business environment if the state and local governments fail to address their concerns.

They also called on the state and federal government to find answers to the problems holding back the independent power station (Geometric Power station) at Osisioma from taking off years after its completion. They stressed that if the power station becomes functional it will solve the problem of power supply that they have been suffering for years.

“Our roads are bad. Some of factories cannot be accessed because of the bad nature of federal, state and local government roads in Aba. Our goods are failing almost on a daily basis. We pay for all kinds of government levies including noise pollution when government has done nothing in ensuring that we have power supply in our factories. The truth is that, we spend more maintaining and fueling our machines if we have steady power supply,” President of ATWAP stated.

An economist, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa in his speech calls for collaboration between the public and private sectors of the state economy even as he called for proper funding of the SMEs in line with the global standard and best practices.

Ohuabunwa who said that the importance of such interactive seminar cannot be overemphasised and reminded the SMEs the important role they play in the state and country’s economy especially now that the country is relying on them to deal with poverty and creation of jobs in the face of the present economic recession facing the country.

In his speech, Governor Ikpeazu said his administration had secured N1b fund to strengthen SMEs in the state.

Governor Ikpeazu, represented by his deputy, Chief Ude Oko-Chukwu assured that the state is determined to create enabling environment for SMEs to boost the economy of the state.

He said Aba remains the capital of SMEs in Nigeria, stressing that with the growing recession, there is an urgent need to strengthen the capacity of SMEs to boost entrepreneurial excellence in the state.

Ikpeazu disclosed that the state is determined to eliminate all challenges militating against the growth of SMEs in the state and assured investors of conducive business environment.

“We are determined to eliminate multiple taxation in the state. Our approach is that all demand notices will be issued at once. What you will get in Abia is two demand notices, once you pay, nobody will disturb you again. We have inaugurated a monitoring team who moves around to the state to check those collecting illegal levies.”

The governor urged entrepreneurs in the city to itemise the multiple levies and forward them to his office for necessary action.

Apparently, there is effort to keep the shoemakers and other entrepreneurs in Aba.

November 18, 2016
115-year-old man leads protest in Anambra

I have no much time to live on earth,” declared 115-year-old Godwin Nwosu. “It could be days, it could be months and it could be years, but I will be the happiest man on earth if Governor Willie Obiano comes to the aid of the people before I join my ancestors.”

Pa Nwosu is one of the elders of Aguluezechukwu, one of three communities in Anambra State cut off from other parts of the state. The two other communities are Ogboji and part of Oko communities. The communities are in Aguata, Orumba North and Orumba South local government areas respectively.

Pa Nwosu took it upon himself to rally the communities in a protest in a bid to get the state government to fix the road, even if it was the only thing he did before his transition.

The road linking the three communities from Pal Junction in Oko-Aguluezechukwu-Ogboji has been abandoned for many years without any government attention.

As a result, erosion has cut off the neighbouring communities, leaving the residents in severe pain.

The condition of the road is said to have forced some of the companies located along the road to go moribund.

The elders say the road has been about three times without any positive result, while the military coup of 1983 stopped the former Vice President Dr. Alex Ekwueme from fixing it.

When The Nation visited the place, it was discovered that their farm produce such as cassava, yams, tomatoes do not get to the markets outside the communities because of lack of access road. The road equally links Achina in Aguata Local Government Area apart from the other three from the Pal Junction at Oko community close to Ekwueme’s house.

The protesters said the state government only remembers them during electioneering campaigns when they come to seek for votes.

Speaking with The Nation, Pa Nwosu said, “This road has been like this for the past 40 years because there is no person to speak for us especially in Aguluezechukwu; this community does not have one single road done by the government”

72-year-old Mercy Nwankwo from Ndi Okpalaeze said the her people are devastated

Traditional ruler of Ogboji, Igwe Festus Iyioku said they believed Obiano would fix the road. He said neighbouring communities no longer visit each other because of the bad condition of the road.

“My people are suffering, we are in pains because we have no road, we plead with Governor Obiano to come to our aid,” he said.

The Chairman, Obofia-Aguluezechukwu, Chief Bernard Chukwuka lamented that their farm produce do not go out of the community again because of the erosion as the buyers find it difficult to access the area.

Some of the women carrying placards urged Obiano not to abandon them.

Some of their placards read: “We are part of Anambra State, come and help us in our plight, “Oko- Ndiokpalaeze- Aguluezechukwu- Ogboji are no slaves in Anambra, our Governor come and rescue us“.

Another community leader from Akpo, Chief Joe Ifediobi said the state government is not moved at all by the lamentations of the people.

November 18, 2016
New home for orphans in Imo

At the tender age of eight, Daberechi Egbu had already assumed the responsibility of taking care of her younger sibling, Paschal. She hawked pure water, cracked palm kernel, all in a bid to feed and send her brother to school.

This burden of providing for herself and her little brother, as tasking as it that may be, was not the only nightmare young Daberechi and her brother were going through. They lived in a decrepit mud house, which had partly collapsed and contended with the rain and reptiles.

Most nights according to Daberechi, who appeared to be withdrawn, apparently as a result of her experience, they slept without food in their damp mat, while neighbours looked the other way as if they were not aware of them.

She narrated that most nights, she could cry all through, questioning why God allowed them to suffer such fate.

There travail started after they lost their mother in 2007 and their father who was a petty trader shortly afterwards in 2013 in Amaifeke, in Orlu Council Area of Imo State.

At that point, life for them became one long journey of agony, loneliness and frustration. They had no peers to play with, they were avoided like plague, obviously because of the circumstances that surrounded their parents’ death.

Even close relatives could not offer them any form of respite, except for their poor uncle who took them in to live with him, in what later could be best described as running from the frying pan to fire. Their uncle it was gathered started to abuse Daberechi, until she summoned courage and ran away to their hut which had almost been reduced to ruins by the rain.

But they were not deterred, they took every punch life gave to them and nursed the hope for a better tomorrow.

Like the saying that in every cloud, there is a silver lining, the plight of the orphan finally caught the attention of the Imo state governor’s wife, Nneoma Okorocha, after their matter was reported to her by the Transition Committee Chairman of the Council Area, Ijeoma Igboanusi, a lawyer.

And thereafter fate which had shut her bowels of mercy against them for many years, suddenly smiled on them. Not only did they get brand new fully furnished two-bedroom bungalow, but were given enough money that will see them through university education.

The council boss, who narrated her encounter with the orphans, said she was shocked by their tale of anguish and poverty, adding that, “the story is very touching and the fact that they lived in that kind mud house and survived is something to marvel about. After I visited them, I reported their case to Her Excellency who was deeply touched and quickly approved the building of the new home for the children”.

Daberechi who was obviously dumbfounded by their sudden change of status, when asked to make a speech at the event, could only sing songs of praise amid tears, a situation that reduced majority of the audience to tears, especially the women that accompanied the Governor’s wife to the event.

At the highly emotional commissioning and handover ceremony of the new house, Daberechi and Paschal, were shown the kind of love they never knew in their agony filled life. Highly placed individuals hugged them amid suppressed tears. People spoke glowingly about their courage and resilience and even those that despised them came back to make amends.

Wife of the Governor, while handing over the keys of the house to the orphans, assured that her office will continue to see to their welfare and especially their education, assuring that they will never go through such ordeal again.

Mrs. Okorocha, who fought hard to hold back tears, described the case of the children as pathetic, adding that with the new home, the children will no longer suffer the ordeal of sleeping in the old mud house where they were exposed to all forms of danger.

She observed further that the only time the society can be better is when the people learn to care for each other, especially by assisting those who are needy and under privileged.

It will be recalled that the Governor’s wife had built over 172 bungalows for indigent widows and other vulnerable people in the state under her pet project, She Needs A Roof Project (SNARP).

Meanwhile, two other indigent widows, Hope Akali and Katherine Ihenacho, also got new homes, after their case was brought to the Governor’s wife.

At Eziani-Mgbidi, in Oru West Council Area, one of the widows, Hope Akali, was all tears as she narrated her experience while living in an old mud house with her two children, after the death of her husband.

November 18, 2016
Military, police, others walk for peace in Aba

Military and police personnel as well as other stakeholders have walked 15km in Aba, Abia State, to sensitise residents on partnering with security agencies as the Yuletide nears. SUNNY NWANKWO reports

Security agencies view the ember months as particularly troublesome. Crimes tend to rise in those months, peaking in December. That was why the military, police, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and several other para-military organisations staged a walk in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State, to sensitise residents on providing information to security agencies.

The PCRC took part in the walk alongside the police, Aba Area Command, Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), Immigration, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Customs, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Army from 144 Battalion, and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Aba Unit Command, among others.

The walk lasted for well over three hours. Participants carried various placards, some of which read: Say No to robbery, Say No to kidnapping, Say No to bribery and corruption.

The walkers covered such major streets as Azikiwe, Hospital Road, Aba-Owerri Road, Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway, Ngwa Road, etc.

Apart from using the event to create the awareness on the need for members of the public to partner with security in fighting crime in their neighbourhoods, the walk also provided the participants the opportunity to assess the level of their stamina and physical fitness.

Speaking to newsmen on the purpose and significance of the exercise, the Aba Area Commander, ACP Peter Wagbara described the exercise as timely and worthwhile. He said it was in line with the mandate and directives given to all police commands, divisions and stations by the Inspector General of Police to use all pro-active measures in their areas of jurisdiction to fight and prevent crime and corruption; which is also in line with the change mantra of President Muhammadu Buahri.

“Apart from keeping with the directives from the IGP and the commissioner of police, CP Adeleye Oyebade of sensitizing members of the public to keep away from crime, the walk illustrates the perfect synergy amongst security agencies and to also assure residents of Aba that the Yuletide is going to be free from crime. It also serves as a health tonic for the participants as they used the exercise to improve their health status; become mentally alert and physically strong to combat and stamp out crime in Aba and its environs.”

Sir James Uzoma, the Chairman PCRC, Aba Central Police Station (CPS) to use the walk to partner with the police in bringing down the rate of criminality in the society.

“For years back, the relationship between the police and members of the public has not been cordial, but with this exercise members of the public will now willingly come to join the police to fight crime and to also bridge the gap that has been existing between the police and members of the public. We equally want the police to see members of the public as their friends, because information from members of the public to the police will go a long way to help the police to fight crime.

“Secondly, we are coming to the end of the year where the quest for people to make illicit money is on the high side, so, the exercise provides us with the opportunity to tell people and residents of Aba that we don’t want crime and as such discouraging people who want to engage in any form of crime this ember months.

“The four hours road walk I must tell you has increased our energy and strength because anybody fighting against crime must also be physically fit to pursue armed robbers. This is the first edition and with the support from members of the public, we intend to make it a yearly activity and by so doing, it will bolster the relationship between the members of the public and security agencies in Aba and the state at large.”

November 18, 2016
Lawmaker flays herdsmen’s attack in Abia community

The member representing Arochukwu constituency at Abia State House of Assembly, Luke Okara Onyeani has condemned the clash between suspected Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers in which five farmers from Ndiokereke Abam in Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state sustained injuries.

Onyeani said there is need for security agencies in the state to curb the excesses of Fulani herdsmen while those who were involved in the attack on members of his constituency should see brought to book.

Speaking with The Nation in Umuahia after visiting the wounded farmers, Onyeani warned that Abam people are known warriors and should not be pushed to the wall as the people could react in a way that will be unpleasant.

He noted that the people of Abam have resolved to be peaceful and law abiding.

He said, “Our resolve to be peaceful and law abiding should not be taken for granted, we want the herdsmen to leave our place and the entire Arochukwu Local Government Area. We want the security agencies in the state to live up to expectation, the members of the state assembly had during one of their sittings decided that herdsmen should not be carrying fire arms and same was reached during a meeting between the police, herdsmen and indigenes which herdsmen have flouted”.

The Abia lawmaker was visibly angry over the development, saying that he is not happy that his people were harmed by herdsmen with dangerous weapons, stressing that these were the kind of stories people were hearing happening in Enugu and Benue states, but now it has gotten to us”.

He said, “It is shame that people who went to their farm were attacked by gun and machete carrying Fulani herdsmen after destroying their farm land and the farm produce with their cows”.

One of the victims who is receiving treatment in one of the hospitals in Ohafia, who gave his name as Ogbu Kelechi said that he is student of NTI and also a rice farmer which proceeds he uses to sponsor his education was attacked by the herdsmen when he complained about their cows destroying his produce.

Kelechi said, “I went to my farm after attending lectures and saw some cows feeding on my already harvested rice and when I complained the herdsmen descended on me with the machetes saying that they will not leave me until I [was] dead”.

“I pretended to be dead and they came and turned me around to make sure that I [was] dead but then some people who saw what was happening raised the alarm which made the youths to come to find out what was happening but by the time they arrived the herdsmen had fled”.

One of leaders of another community, Ameke Abam, Chief Sunny Agbara said that the issue of herdsmen have ben destroying their farm land and farm produce, “We do not want any conflict with them, but there is a limit to endurance as we have endured enough”.

Agbara said, “Anyone who attacks your farm, attacks your stomach and wants to destroy your life, we want the state Commissioner of Police Leye Oyebade who is the state chairman of Conflict Resolution Committee on herdsmen to do something as was discussed during their inaugural meeting”.

It could be recalled that there was a clash between suspected Fulani herdsmen and the people of Ndi Okereke Abam in Ovukwu autonomous community, Arochukwu local government area of Abia State, which has left about five people badly injured and battling for their lives in an undisclosed hospital.

The injuries they sustained was said to have arisen from bullet and machete wounds inflicted on them by the suspected Fulani herdsmen during the clash between them and the indigenes of the Arrochukwu community.

The President General of the town union, Chief Chukwuma Egbuta Okubi, said that the incident happened last Friday when the herdsmen led their cattle into the farms destroying the crops in the farmland of his people.

Okubi said that the matter was made more painful by the fact that the suspected Fulani herdsmen would uproot the cassava and yam for their cows to eat, including trampling on the entire farm land, thereby making it difficult for our people to harvest their farm produce.

November 18, 2016
ITF trains 500 in Ebonyi

The Director-General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Sir Joseph Ari has stressed the need for Nigerians to embrace the federal government’s policy aimed at revitalising the economy through rapid industrialisation and economic diversification.

The DG made the call in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, during the graduation ceremony for 500 trainees of the 2016 industrial skills development programme run by the Fund.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has consistently emphasised the need to diversify the economy by taking advantage of the numerous opportunities that abound in all sectors.

“If Nigerians must make progress therefore, we must support Mr President’s vision for rapid industrialisation and economic diversification,” he added.

The Area Manager in charge of Enugu Area office, Nonyelum Nneka said the trainees were trained in carpentry and joinery, tailoring and weaving, welding and fabrication, shoe and bag making and masonry and block laying.

She said in addition to the skills training given by ITF, the youths were also exposed to entrepreneurial training by small and medium enterprises development agency (SMEDAN).

Governor David Umahi charged the youths to be hard working and dedicated in their chosen field of endeavor.

Represented by the Commissioner for local Government and Chieftaincy Affiars, Okoronkwo Samuel, said the state government have also empowered over 3,000 youths by providing them with grants to start off businesses.

“Unemployment is a terrible vice which breeds subsequent characteristics of criminality and by this training you would have gone a long way to reducing it.”

“There is no other way to success except hard work, commitment and honesty. So I encourage you to make good and adequate use of the skills you have acquired because that is the only way to show that the efforts f the state and federal government in training you is not a waste,” he said.

One of the trainees, James Eze said thanked the federal government for training them and promised that they will work hard to ensure that the aims of training them are realised.

November 18, 2016
Imo launches urban taxi scheme

The transportation problems experienced by residents of Imo State, especially within Owerri, the state capital and its environs, will soon be a thing of the past as the state has commissioned the first batch of 500 taxi cabs for its urban taxi scheme.

Launching the scheme, the state governor Rochas Okorocha said the gesture is to bring relief to commuters who face enormous challenges.

The governor added that aside from the fact that the scheme will help tackle the transport challenges, the government will also through the scheme create over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.

He assured that his administration will continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state, adding that aside from the taxi scheme, the state government has also embarked on dualising major roads in the city under its urban renewal programme.

He said, “We are in a hurry to develop the land and do many projects. In the next few weeks you will be seeing over 600km of road to be refaced, refurbished across our communities and villages to make the Christmas season a memorable one. Again we have also approved the construction of 15-20 kms solid road asphalted linking major cities, villages and Local Government Areas and this project will cost about N14.6 billion all put together”

He continued that, “the idea of this urban taxi scheme is to give Imo state a new look. When we see bad cars it portrays poverty in the land and we are not a poor people and we refuse to be poor. But this will help to change the image of the state, not many would like to go into certain vehicles but these vehicles everyone would like to go into it. And we are making sure that transport owners, keke operators, buses and taxis would be our first priority of engagement because as soon as we have 1000 pieces of these cars available, we might decide which route they will follow and the routes the keke operators will go and the buses to bring about a clean environment.”

In their separate speeches, the State Commissioner for transport Mrs Josephine Udoji and the Taskforce Chairman on

Imo transport system, Engr. Kingsley Uju, said that “the laudable gesture has once again proven that the Okorocha led administration has the welfare and wellbeing of the masses of Imo state at heart”, adding that “the new Imo taxi scheme which is the first in the history of the state, will no doubt address the difficulties and numerous challenges facing the transportation sector in the state.

Mrs Udoji said, “This is to make transportation easier even as the government has subsidized the fare to make it N50 per drop in order to reduce the sufferings of Imo citizens in the transport sector and at the same time creating job opportunities for our youths. The Imo city taxi scheme was conceptualised by the governor as a result of the shortfall in functional taxi transport system in state capital”.

She disclosed that the state government under the scheme entered into PPP with First Nig Ltd which allows Imo citizens to purchase over 500 brand new cars in such a manner that it would be easier for them to pay off the cost within 2years and become car owners.”

Uju said, “Today, Imo people are experiencing a new thing in the transport system and not just in the transport system but we are directly as a government empowering the people in Imo state with brand new cars which they will now use to solve the transport problem in the state. And as the chairman task force on transport system in Imo state, this is one of the best things that has happened to Imo state in terms of transport system in the last ten years.

“You can feel the reactions of the people because they are actually receiving empowerment as a way of livelihood.”

November 18, 2016
35 Abia communities get N104m for rural development

The Abia State Agency for Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) has given out N104.2 million to 35 communities from across the 17 local government areas of the state for community-based developmental projects.

The projects which range from markets, roads, toilets, electricity and health centres, among others, are part of a partnership between the state government and World Bank aimed at upgrading the rural areas to curb urban drift.

The cheques of various amounts was given to 35 benefitting communities for their infrastructural development which is based on counterpart funding as the communities are expected to provide 10% of the total contract sum while CSDP will provide 90%.

The projects in all the communities are always discussed by all members of the community and they also contribute the money for the 10% counterpart fund, this makes them joint owners of the project and also enables them to guard the project jealously.

It is expected that all the projects which the additional financing were presented are all based on the need of each benefitting communities and will be completed before the end of December this year.

Speaking at the ceremony in Umuahia, the general manager of AbiaCSDP, Dr Chinatu Njoku said that the agency was established by World Bank as one of the portfolios aimed at empowering communities and local governments to sustainably increase access of poor people to social and natural resource infrastructure.

Njoku said that the projects are chosen by the communities, plan, part-finance, implement, monitor and maintain which are socially inclusive, “Therefore the projects are driven by the communities while the agency provides 90% of the project cost and the communities just 10%”.

He said that the issuing of cheques to the benefitting communities are just additional funds as they had earlier been given funds that enabled them to commence their different projects but had to stop because the state did not pay its counterpart fund to the World Bank.

The Abia CSDP boss said, “The CSDP prior to the additional financing intervened in 119 communities through funding of their developmental plans, 201 micro-projects were completed and the completed projects vary from community to community according to their needs”.

In his welcome address the board chairman of Abia CSDP Chief Chijioke Onwutuebe said that the agency is of the state government established to sustainably increase the access of the poor to social and natural resources infrastructure in a sustainable manner.

Onwutuebe said that the additional financing came as a result of the success achieved by CSDP and is a continuation of a successful partnership between the World Bank, federal government and Abia state government.

He said, “Our thanks goes to the state government that made it possible for the additional financing to take-off in the state when other states were still battling with the decision to join in the venture”.

“It is on record that our governor was the first in the federation to pay the mandatory state contribution and fulfil other conditions as stipulated by the World Bank for CSDP additional financing effectiveness”.

In his opening remarks the chairman of the occasion and Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Prof Uche Ikonne said that the exercise is a continuous one which the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has inherited with the aim of making the rural areas habitable.

Prof Ikonne said that Ndigbo are known for their community development projects which the current government is assisting the various communities to achieve, stressing that the idea will help to reduce urban drift once the social amenities are provided.

Speaking while handing over the cheques to the benefitting communities, the state governor, Dr Ikpeazu said that his administration is proud with what the CSDP has been able to achieve in his time.

November 18, 2016
Abia takes up Michael Okpara’s agric plan

The Abia State government has launched an agric plan reminiscent of the late Premier of the Eastern Region Dr Michael Okpara’s blueprint. UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE reports

Before his death in 1984, Dr Michael Okpara endeared himself to the defunct Eastern Region of which he was premier. The medical doctor who played an active part in the politics of the First Republic,and survived the 1966 coup, was renowned for his passion and vision in agriculture, saying that the growth and future of Nigeria depended on farming.

In his native Umuegwu community in present Abia State, he acquired and managed the Umuegwu Okpuala Mixed Farms. Soon, other leaders copied his example and started managing farms too. Agriculture caught on.

The state government has also embraced his plan, kicking off its revenue base diversification programme with an agriculture initiative involving 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation.

Other agricultural produce like ginger, pineapple plantation and cassava farming are not left out as the state Ministry of Agriculture under headship of Hon. Uzo Azubuike as commissioner is also cultivating high-yielding varieties.

The state government says its plans of developing the oil palm value chain is to make the state the number one in palm oil production.

To achieve this, the state government has set a target of developing 7.5 million seedlings between 2016 and 2019, targeting 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation across the state and this would be achieved in phases.

The governor during an inspection of the nursery at Ahiaba Umueze in Osisioma council area of the state said the future of the economy of the state depends on agriculture hence the renewed attention on farming especially oil palm production.

According to him, Abia State has comparative advantage over other states in oil palm, as the state stands in an advanced position to enhance her revenue earnings through massive oil palm production.

He called on Abia youths to engage in farming as his administration is willing to assist them, while calling on farmers to also intensify their efforts in their various farms to enable them have more and improved yields.

Speaking at the event, Hon Azubuike said the state is targeting 2 million seedlings in the first phrase of the oil palm seedlings, the second will produce 3 million, while the third will deal with 2.5 million seedlings.

At Ahiaba Umueze oil palm nursery, visited by newsmen, it was discovered that over 1.5 million nuts have already been planted and are being awaited for buying by prospective farmers.

Azubuike while fielding questions from newsmen at the location said the Ikpeazu led administration had through the project employed over a thousand people especially youths and women in the communities and created wealth for families.

He said the seedlings were got at N350 each and would replicate over 700 million naira in the next one year, thereby increasing the revenue generation of the state.

The ministry of agriculture boss revealed that the state is establishing a community-based oil Palm Project which intends to inject the seedlings into the communities, achieve this.

The seedlings, according to him, would be sold to farmers at subsidised rates, which would be tested with the selected pilot communities and the essence he said, is to ensure that every farm land has two to three stands of high yielding oil palm growing in it.

He said that this is also geared towards tactically phasing out the low yielding varieties by the state government, stressing that government is determined to phase out the old palm trees which has served the state for several years.

Azubike said that under the arrangement, each community would have an anchor that would buy off Fresh Fruit Bunches, for processing; thereby making it possible for every community to have a mini palm processing mill, while the state builds an oil palm refinery.

The Commissioner further revealed that following the zero tolerance to land waste of the state government policy, it has also embarked on ginger and pineapple production at Ohambele, Ukwa East Local Government.

Also, at Omuma Uzo, Ukwa West Local Government, the state government has began the multiplication of high yielding cassava varieties.

Azubuike, explained that the varieties which were gotten from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, are TME 419 and Pro Vitamin A.

He said the interest of the state government is on the stem which would be distributed to farmers because of its disease resistant, high yielding and more nutritious qualities.

According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, the state is recruiting extension agents to be sent to communities to educate the people on modern ways of farming in a bid to sustain the project.

Some residents of the host communities who spoke to newsmen commended the state government for such a giant stride and pledged total support for the project.

November 11, 2016