The Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr Franklin Ajinwo, says that efforts are underway to boost food production and create employment opportunities for youths in the Local Government and Rivers State at large.
Barr. Ajinwo made this known when the Rivers State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) in partnership with the Federal Government and the World Bank organised a stakeholders’ sensitisation Programme in Rumuakunde, the Council Headquarters.
The Council Boss hinted that Emohua, as an agrarian Local Government Area, is blessed with vast arable hectares of land and waterfronts suitable for agriculture and fish farming.
He said that the speedy implementation of the programme will develop the area, create better employment opportunities for the teeming youths and provide good roads to ease transportation challenges plaguing farmers in the area.
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“We are very favoured because we have a large expanse of land used for rice cultivation in Rumuewhor, and we also have fish in our rivers. This initiative, which is geared towards improving food production, will enable us to feed our locals and Rivers State by extension as it aims to broaden commercial activities that will attract others from far and near, “he stated.
Barr. Ajinwo also advocated inclusivity as the host Community and speedy commencement of the programme, pledging support, cooperation and synergy that will address unforeseen challenges to ensure success, while commending them for their choice of Emohua as a pilot Area and thanked them for their visit.
Earlier in his keynote address, the Project Coordinator of RAAMP, Mr Joshua Kpakol, highlighted the essence of the sensitisation visit and its benefits to those in the rural areas.
Mr. Kpakol noted that RAAMP has been in existence for about 10 years and is operational in about 19 States across the Federation with a focus on food security, rural development, provision of hospitals and construction of roads that give farmers easy transportation access to their market sites.
He described the project as a collective responsibility that is all-embracing and can change the economic fortunes of the Area for good, stating that synergy will help yield better results if sustained.
“The rural dwellers are the direct beneficiaries of this project. Every strata of the society will be involved as it won’t discriminate, its aims and objectives are geared towards providing modern amenities and services to our people free of charge, which will make them happy,” he said.
In his overview of the Project, Engr. Ibibia Owubokiri defined the RAAMP as a third-generation rural access project that aims to strengthen the institutional and financing base for sustainable management of State and Rural Networks.
He also revealed the 3 focal points of the Project, which he said are: Improvement of rural access and trading infrastructure, Sector Reforms, asset management and agro-logistics Performance, enhancement and Institutional Development as well as Project Management and Risk Mitigation.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Comrade Emmanuel Ndah, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Maurice Ogolo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Patrick Ndukue and Secretary to the Council, Barr. Justice Chigonu were amongst the dignitaries present at the stakeholders’ engagement.
