Fubara to Revolutionise Agriculture in Rivers
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Rivers State governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will revolutionise agriculture in the State using the Songhai Farms in Bunu community in Tai Local Government Area as a launching pad.
Fubara explained that the plan is sequel to the decision at the last National Economic Council meeting where the need for diversification of the economy was harped on in order to cushion the current economic hardship experienced by the citizenry.
The Rivers State governor gave the assurance when he inspected the current state of the Songhai Farm, in Tai.
He said: “In our last National Economic Council meeting, because of the present situation of our economy, which you are aware; the issue of removal of fuel subsidy and other economic bite affecting every one, everybody was advised to diversify. The other option is agriculture and we were all advised to see what we can do to improve on food sufficiency.”
Fubara stated that revamping the Songhai Farms will serve the purpose of diversifying the economy of the State, get the people engaged meaningfully and increase the food sufficiency capacity of the State.
According to the governor, “As I leave here now we are going to bring in all the stakeholders to discuss on the way forward. What I am seeing here will require long term planning and going back to the site to reinstating the installed facilities that have become desolate. The state government would not just do that, we will bring in people who have the strength and commitment to partner with us to bring back this place to life.
“The advantages to derived when this place comes back to life include food sufficiency and employment generation. It will also address issues of youth restiveness,” he added.
Earlier, the Centre Manager of the Shonghai Project, Dr. Sammy Jaja, who conducted the governor round the facilities, stated that the project is based on a self-driven zero waste model and has the potential of promoting economic development in the state especially in the area of food sufficiency.
