Governor Otu Woos Investors, Reiterates Commitment To Boosting State's Enonomy Through Agriculture

Governor Otu Woos Investors, Reiterates Commitment To Boosting State's Enonomy Through Agriculture 

By JAE Media

A two day international cooperation and investment summit which is first of it kind was held in calabar, at Calabar international conference centre. The Summit tagged "Paradigm shift" came to a close today with so much Joy and renewed hope expressed on the faces of cross riverians as Governor Otu's People mantra takes its gradual definition.

In a key note address, His Excellency, Senator Bassey Edet Otu,   stated that the Summit which is the first of its kind in  Cross River state was designed by his administration in line with his People first agenda, geared towards building a private-sector-led economy in the state that will guarantee wealth and job creation , provision of basic infrastructure , Public sector reforms, agricultural value-chains development and reduction in poverty and inequality. 

The governor stated further that the theme of the summit was carefully selected to reflect the collective aspiration of his administration to move from public sector dominated state to that driven and propelled by private sector players, adding that the main aim was to deliberate on how to increase investment in critical areas of the state's economy and enhance development cooperation.

Panelist and partners were drawn from African development Bank , ECOWAS bank for investment and Cooperation, FHi360, IITA, Zenith bank, Access bank, UNIDO, NIRSAL PLC, Arise IIP, 

W.H.O. among others.

 During a break out session, the Commissioner for Crops and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Ebokpo discussed the relevance of  ICT in  Agribusiness and the vast investment prospects in Agriculture.

The commissioner informed that there are many value chains embedded in the processing  of crops such as cassava, maize, cocoa, rice,rubber, Oil palm, sesame ,and coconut, adding that these crops form part of the mandate of Crops and Irrigation development ministry.  According to him, "all we need is the right approach and systematic applications in a bid to eliminate waste and subsidize productivity. "

He x-rayed the mandate of the state government towards the ministry under his watch and highlighted possible agribusinesses  that abound for investors.

The Commissioner disclosed Governor Otu's Plan to launch a project called "PROJECT GROW", explaining that the proposed Project is a commercial agric credit  guarantee fund designed to bridge the gap between farmers and access to fund. He said " the project is  digital in nature where funds stands as collateral to suppliers of specified crops to the state government through ministry of crops and irrigations development. Once the supplies  are made, funds are  credited directly to the farmers." 

Commissioner Ebokpo maintained that plans are on ground to partner with network providers to make internet services available to rural villages and enable the farmers transact businesses once the project is launched. "With the direct access to funds by the farmers, it will provide a levelled playing ground to all farmers.

This program shall be launched soonest", the Commissioner concluded.