Governor Ben Ayade has launched Cross River State into the current rice revolution.
About
18 months ago, precisely May 29, 2015, Professor Ben Ayade, assumed
office as the governor of Cross River State, amidst great expectations
from the people he was set to lead.
The
high expectations were understandably so taking into cognisance the
laudable performances recorded by his predecessors, respectively, Mr.
Donald Duke and Mr. Liyel Imoke, between May 1999 and May 2015.
The
previous administrations anchored their programmes for the economic
revival of the state on tourism, and rural development through creation
of feeder roads to rural communities; a development which saw to the
construction of the multi-billion naira Tinapa Business and Leisure
Resort in Calabar, the upgrading of the Obudu Ranch resort, massive
urban renewal programmes across the state, and encouraging the private
sector investments towards industrialisation and boost in commercial
activities.
Despite
the promising projections for the state’s economy that heralded the
establishment of these projects, especially the Tinapa and the Obudu
Cattle Ranch Resort it is doubtful if any dividend has accrued to its
coffers since they became operational.
The
unforeseen problems associated in running the economic facilities to
ensuring profitability aside the dilapidation of infrastructure,
especially federal road networks in the state has remained one of the
most outstanding socio-economic challenges confronting the state.
From
inception, the governor appeared to have good understanding of the
monumental task ahead of him, but in his characteristic display of
courage he saw the challenges as mere stepping stones towards greater
achievements for the state.
“Let
me use this opportunity, to announce our signature projects; we shall
undertake the construction of a dual carriage super highway from Calabar
through Ikom and Ogoja to the Ranch Resort in Obudu. We shall also
build a state sea port. We shall do all these and more. In God we
trust,” Ayade announced after he was sworn-in at the Calabar
International Convention Centre (CICC).
Ayade
projects that the road on completion would provide the much evacuation
corridor for cargoes from the deep sea port to states in northern
Nigeria, and other West and North African countries; apart from opening
the hinterland communities from north to south for easier access and
economic boom while the deep sea port would create at least 30,000 jobs
in the state.
Though
not one of the signature projects, the completion of the garment
factory, by Ayade’s administration provides hope for the employment of
at least 2,000 aimed at adding to wealth creation for the people in an
economy caught up by national economic recession.
However,
experts have concluded that the future of the nation’s economy resides
in diversification from oil to other sources of revenue generation;
especially agriculture and solid minerals.
Ayade
seems to have bought into this call for diversification hence the
decision to launch the state into an unprecedented era of agricultural
revolution that would result in food sufficiency for the populace; and
enough for use as raw materials for industrial purposes.
For a start, the governor has flagged off a rice revolution in the state which is a major agricultural hub of the country.
On
November 4, 2016, Ayade demonstrated what can be described as
leadership by example when he inaugurated his rice farm in Obudu and
inspected 20,000 hectares of rice farm in Ugboro in Bekwarra Local
Government Area in demonstration of a practical approach of launching
the state into the league of major rice producers in Nigeria and beyond.
Inaugurating
the Ogoja Rice Mill, respectively, in the presence of officials of the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) led by the Governor of CBN, Mr. Godwin
Emefiele, the governor disclosed that his administration has adopted a
policy on rice as propagated by the Federal Government.
“Today,
we stand to publicly declare that the people of Cross River support
your Rice Anchor Borrowers Programme, and has keyed in fully as a
responsive government.
“We
support the dream of Mr. President who believes that this country
should be self-sufficient in rice production, and he has not only shown
reasonable commitment but has followed up with action plans to achieve
this vision.”
Ayade
who disclosed that his administration has acquired over 18,000 square
kilometres of land which it intends to donate to anyone desirous of
cultivating rice in the state added: “Taking a cue from Governor of
Kebbi State, I have keyed into this presidential initiative by owning my
own rice farm today.
“I
am sure that by next year, given the number of things we have put on
ground, Cross River will have more than enough to feed and export.
“As
an extension, I have directed that my 29 commissioners must own at
least 20 hectares of rice farm each, while over 1,700 political
appointees are expected to own and cultivate at least 10 hectares each
to further boost rice production in this state and the country at
large.”
Promising
that his administration would not fail in its determination to become a
major rice producer, the governor said: “We want to assure Mr.
President that, with the support of CBN, Cross River State and indeed
Nigeria will be self-sufficient in rice sooner than we expected.”
The
Chairman, Presidential Committee on Rice and Wheat, who is also the
Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, who spoke at the event commended
Ayade for his pragmatic roles demonstrated towards making the state and
country self-sufficient in rice production.
Bagudu
said it was heartening to know that over 73 cooperative groups and
2,183 farmers have already been mobilised in the northern part of the
state for dry season farming.
“I
am indeed very delighted to see the tremendous work already done by
Governor Ben Ayade in Cross River and his strong believe in the
programmes of the federal government to reduce poverty and create
employment.
“Today,
Ayade is leading by example by personally cultivating his own rice farm
that will contribute immensely to our effort of becoming
self-sufficient.
“The
aim of the programme is therefore to create wealth and employment among
the citizenry, be major exporter of rice and wheat and ultimately be
self-sufficient in rice production before the end of the year,” Bagudu
said.
Bagudu
recalled the roles played by Ayade while serving in the Senate, stating
that he has always been at the forefront of the struggle for better and
more prosperous Nigeria.
Promising
more incentives for the state, Bagudu said: “Once we see the success
achieved, we are ready and willing to bring in more money to the State.
“The
essence of the nationwide tour is to determine the level of successes
recorded so far since the borrowers programme was launched in Kebbi
State last year.”
In
keeping with the administration’s policy to create value chain for the
state’s rice production, Ayade has flagged off the construction work on a
multi-million naira rice mill in Ogoja.
Ayade
also performed the groundbreaking for the construction of a rice mill
in Ogoja, which he said would be “the first of its kind in Africa,
capable of producing wholly vitaminised rice that will incorporate
growth hormones for children between the ages of seven and 15, and also
enhance their intellectual capacity.
“With
the vitamins enhanced plant, specific vitamins and nutrients are going
to be incorporated; the vitaminisation process of this mill is going to
be bigger business than actually selling the rice.”
Ayade
said, “The people of Ogoja are traditionally the number one rice
growing people in the South-south of Nigeria, but all the rice
cultivated in Ogoja ends up in other states.
“Indeed,
it is our rice and we have come to put an end from taking our rice from
Cross River to somewhere else and adding to the rice cultivation
statistics of other states.”
Ayade said that the product which will be called “Ogoja Rice” will be packaged to reflect the identity and unity of the people.
At
the commissioning of the rice mill, Ayade made a clear distinction
between the proposed Ogoja Rice Mill and the Calabar Rice City, saying
the latter was designed as a research centre for the production of a new
hybrid of rice that will have high yield, high disease resistance and
targeted at the production of seeds and seedlings.
“The
only way we can control the economy completely in a rice value chain is
not just to grow rice but to sell seeds, so we need to have a research
centre close to the airport because we are hoping to sell seeds to the
whole of Africa. But when you produce your seeds, you need to send them
to where the heartbeat of rice construction is, which is Ogoja,” Ayade
said.
Continuing,
he said: “Buhari has demonstrated that if Nigeria can be focused on
rice production, we shall indeed, get out of the woods and our continued
dependence on foreign rice will be a thing of the past.”
The
state Commissioner for Agriculture, Professor Anthony Eneji, who also
spoke at the event, stated that the proposed mill would be producing at
least five tons of rice per hour, especially for rice farmers and
merchants in the northern and central senatorial districts of the state.
Speaking
at the event, the Governor of Central Bank, Emefiele, disclosed that
CBN has spent over N3 billion, so far, in the programme in the state,
stressing that: “Once we see the success achieved, we are ready and
willing to bring in more money to the state.”
Emefiele
stated that “The essence of the nationwide tour is to determine the
level of successes recorded so far since the borrowers programme was
launched in Kebbi State last year.”
Commenting
on the efforts put in by Ayade towards the realisation of the programme
, the CBN governor said ,”Ayade’s effort will serve as a motivational
factor to Cross Riverians who are yet to key into this programme to
think of owning their personal farms and start growing rice and other
essentials produce too.”
Speaking
further, the CBN governor said: “This programme is therefore a
demonstration of the fact that we can grow our rice, not just the rice,
cassava, yam, wheat and even poultry products can also be produced in
large quantities because we have the capacity and so, there is no need
to spend foreign currencies in importing these items into the country.
“We
know, it is not going to be easy but going by the level of successes
recorded so far, I can assure you that we shall overcome food crisis in
the country.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday said Nigeria had no excuse for the deplorable state of its agriculture sector. Obasanjo said this at an agriculture seminar in Abuja organised by Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with “Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities’’ as theme.
