…set to boost large-scale farming
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has said his administration is taking practical steps towards boosting full-scale mechanised farming for enhanced agricultural production with the establishment of an Agric Equipment Leasing Company which will be commissioned soon.
Fielding questions from Government House correspondents shortly after his inspection of the progress of work at the company located at Ekpri Nsukara in Uyo, Governor Eno scored the contractor high on the progress of work at the site.
“There is a lot of improvement in the work done here to get the company kick-started in earnest. The contractor, in fact, has given her word that the project will soon be inaugurated, and I hold her to that.”
According to the Governor, the essence of the project is to motivate farmers into large-scale farming for better productivity, earnings, and sufficiency of food in the State.
“The farming season is here again, and we are putting everything in place for this project to function optimally. There are over 25 tractors with tracking devices and two low-beds in readiness for the agriculture programme.
“What we intend to do here is to lease this equipment to our farmers across the State at subsidised rates so that they can make use of them for improved farming productivity in the State. These farming equipment range from ploughs, harvesters, to lots of others that will help them improve,” he said.
The Governor explained that his focus was to mechanise farming methods in the State in order to achieve large-scale benefits in crop production and profits for farmers.
Speaking on the government’s tree-crop revolution programme, Governor Eno assured that the programme will kick off immediately the rainy season sets in, explaining that it is an endeavour that thrives well during the rainy season.
“The nursery of the palm tree crop seedlings has been put in place; the necessary enumeration of farmers has been done throughout the State, and in the next two weeks, the seedlings will be distributed to farmers for appropriate planting across the State.”
The Governor, therefore, enjoined farmers to embrace the various agricultural programmes put up by the government for the attainment of meaningful large-scale farming output and the growth of individuals in particular and the State in general.
With the Governor at the inspection were the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor; Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agric Business, Pastor Godwin Ukwat; and other government officials.
