Ebonyi allocates land to commissioners, others for compulsory rice production

Ebonyi State Government has revved up its agricultural programme by
mapping and allocating land  to the members of the Executive Council
(EXCO).
The  event  which took place at Ezillo Government Farm in Ishielu Local
Government Area is the first phase  of Governor David Umahi'a policy to
involve every segment of the society in massive rice production.
The  Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resource, Uchenna Orji, led
the team comprising Agric Extension workers and officials of IFAD to carry
out the exercise on Saturday.
Orji, according to a statement on Monday by  Emma Anya, the chief press
secretary to the Governor, 140 hectares of land were allocated to the
EXCO members for the cultivation of rice under the Multi-Purpose
Co-operative Society Ltd in line with IFAD requirement for co-operative
system and the CBN
The remaining 1,360 hectares were set aside for other cooperative
socities and individuals that have already keyed into the policy   through
the IFAD and CBN -anchor borrowers programme.
Orji, who described the agric programme of the Umahi administration as
all inclusive, said tractors would be mobilised to the site immediately in
line with the governor's vision of massive rice production for commercial
quantity.
He added, " We do expect that through the Senior Special Assistant on rice
production, Chief Itakpa Azobu, that latest by Monday, July 4, we will
mobilize our tractors to come here.
"It is in line with governor's vision that we should not only go into
mechanization of farming, we should go commercial. We
  are going to express that this 2016 farming season."
In an interview, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation,
Senator Emmanuel Onwe, said it was EXCO's  decision that any individual of
mature age, whether government appointee or civil servant, must cultivate
at least one or two hectares of land to boost agriculture in the state.
The Dean, Faculty of Agriculture,

Ebonyi State University, Prof. Folusho
David, commended the agricultural policy and called on government to
continue the sensitization of farmers in the area.
Other EXCO members who spoke, were the SSA to the governor on Rice
Production; the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr.Obinna
Nwachukwu, SSA on Infrastructure Maintenance, Hon. Ali Odefa; Commissioner
for Education, Prof. John Eke, Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Augustine
Nwankwagu.
They said EXCO was poised to demonstrate to the world that Ebonyi State was
a rice producing state.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ogbaga, the commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict
Resolution, who spoke on behalf of the female EXCO members, said
tomatoes production would be their major area of concern.