Enugu Promises to Sustain FG’s Agro Processing, Productivity Project

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

The Enugu State Governor, Mr. Peter Mbah, has assured the people of the state  that  his administration  would sustain the Agro Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihoods Improvement Support (APPEALS) project in the state.

Mbah gave this assurance when the National Project Coordinator of APPEALS, Mr. Mohammed Sanni, led a team from the World Bank, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance on a tour of some processing facilities that were constructed under the project to ease production in Amechi and Nara communities in Enugu State.

Sanni, who was gladdened by the governor’s assurance, said: “For all donor-funded projects, it is always important to consider the ownership sustainability element. And we are happy that we have received the assurance of the state to invest in APPEALS even after the project is concluded, which is under the second level of financing.”

Sanni also encouraged beneficiaries under the project to keep working to scale their business and provide employment opportunities.

On her part, the Ebugu State Coordinator of the APPEALS’ project, Ihuoma Eze, said that a total of N350 million has so far been invested in processing centres across the three senatorial zones in the state to ease the production of rice, poultry and cashews.  

The project is a six-year project developed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders in line with the Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) 2016-2020 of the Federal Government of Nigeria.