By Anietie Akpan
The Cross River State Government has opened technical bids for the privatization of some her age-old agro-allied estates and industries in the state.
They are Erei Farm Settlement Oil Palm Estates, comprising the following: Ikun, Urugbam, and Egbor Oil Palm Estates, all in Biase Local Government Area.
A press release dated March 17, by the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Comrade Nsa Gill, said the two investors who have expressed interest in acquiring the estates are El-Darl Farms Limited and Bella Van Baass Limited.
Speaking at the bid-opening event in Calabar, Chief Bassey Okon, Director-General of the Cross River State Council on Privatization, emphasized the administration’s commitment to economic growth through strategic private-sector partnerships.
“We are here to open the technical bids for the oil palm estates. These estates, originally established in 1961 under the Eastern Nigerian Development Corporation, have long been due for revitalization,” Okon stated.
He noted that years of neglect by past governments, lack of reinvestment, and community disputes had contributed to the estates’ decline.
However, the administration of Governor Bassey Otu is determined to reverse this trend, he said noting that, “nost of these estates have not been replanted in decades, despite agricultural best practices recommending periodic replanting for sustained productivity.
“The people-first agenda of this government ensures that every initiative prioritizes economic empowerment, job creation, and sustainable development”.
The bidding process marks a crucial phase in the state’s privatization efforts, allowing technically qualified and financially capable firms to take over operations.
Cecilia Elu Adie, representative of the Director General, Due Process and Intelligence at the Privatization Council urged the evaluation team to ensure a transparent and credible selection process.
“Keep sentiments aside and do your best to move our team forward. This is a major step in repositioning Cross River’s agricultural sector, and we must ensure due diligence at every stage,” she said.
Itafa Ogar, legal representative of Eldar Farms Ltd., commended the government’s privatization initiative, describing it as a bold step toward revitalizing the state’s agricultural economy.
He said, “Cross River State has vast agricultural potential, and this move is key to unlocking it. We at Eldar Farms are proud to be co-stakeholders in this process and are optimistic that it will create jobs and foster economic growth.”
The technical bid opening is the first phase of a multi-stage process. Successful companies will proceed to financial and operational assessments before final selection.
With this initiative, the Cross River State Government, under Governor Otu, reaffirms its commitment to leveraging private sector expertise to transform agriculture into a key driver of economic growth.
