The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mercy Dagogo Iboroma, has called on directors, heads of departments and staff to adopt a results-driven approach to strengthen food security, create jobs and drive economic growth in the state.
Speaking during her inaugural meeting with staff at the Rivers State Veterinary Hospital and Diagnostic Laboratory in Rumodumaya, Port Harcourt, Iboroma thanked Governor Siminalayi Fubara for appointing her and described the ministry’s workforce as the backbone of agricultural development in Rivers State.
She urged staff to embrace teamwork, innovation and accountability, stressing that the ministry must deliver measurable results. As part of its immediate priorities, she directed that attention be focused on aquaculture and cassava production over the next two to three months.
To improve planning and service delivery, Iboroma instructed heads of departments to submit one-page reports detailing ongoing projects, key challenges and three priority areas requiring urgent intervention.
She reaffirmed her commitment to transparency, an open-door leadership style and rewarding outstanding performance while insisting that excuses would not be accepted.
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Although she acknowledged challenges such as inadequate funding and logistics, the Permanent Secretary expressed confidence that the ministry was entering a new phase of productivity and called on staff to contribute ideas that would reposition the ministry and revive abandoned programmes.
Responding on behalf of the staff, Director of Livestock and Veterinary Services, Dr. Godswill Ukaikpoko, advocated data-driven agricultural planning through the registration and verification of farmers across the state.
He also urged the Permanent Secretary to facilitate approval of pending memoranda before the Governor and strengthen collaboration among the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Environment under the One Health initiative.
Other departmental heads highlighted areas requiring urgent attention, including stronger inter-ministerial collaboration, improved agricultural data management, expanded aquaculture and blue economy initiatives, and the commissioning of idle tractors to boost mechanised farming.
The meeting ended with a guided tour of the ministry’s offices and veterinary facilities, giving the Permanent Secretary a firsthand assessment of the ministry’s operations and infrastructure.
