By Eze
Chukwuemeka Eze
 |
| Former President Obasanjo, Gov. Amaechi and others Observing the Operation of the Buguma Fish Farm |
“In a
world of plenty, no one, not a single person, should go hungry. But almost 1
billion still do not have enough to eat. I want to see an end to hunger
everywhere within my lifetime.” –Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General.
“If
there is food for all then we have a rich nation but when we don’t have food
for all then we have a poor nation.” –Owelle Rochas Anayo Okoroacha,
Governor of Imo State.
The
importance of providing food for Nigeria’s large populace needs not be
over-emphasized. But this, as captured in the above quotes, cannot be possible
in a country facing the type of insecurity Nigeria is currently facing over the
menace of Boko Haram. It is a fact that today, Nigeria is in the news worldwide
not for any positive developments but due to its inability to curtail the
menace of insecurity spearheaded by a religious jihadist sect known as Boko
Haram fighting to end any form of education in Nigeria. This unfortunate
scenario has defied any known security strategy by the combined forces of our
armed forces, thus necessitating foreign intervention.
However,
as several other foresighted people have warned, military might is not enough
to defeat Boko Haram and solve the problem of insecurity in Nigeria. There is
need for a more workable strategy that could solve the problem on a permanent
basis. Luckily for Nigeria and Nigerians, we have a visionary leader who has
come out with a possible way out. He faced similar scenario when he assumed
office as Governor and has been able to tackle it decisively. That person is
none other but Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State.
The
record has it that the Port Harcourt that Amaechi inherited when he assumed
office as Governor in 2007 was more like a jungle where the fittest determined
the fate of lesser animals. The once glamorous city was ranked among the four
most dangerous cities in the world as at that time. The Human Resources Unit of
New York-based Marsh & McLennan Cos. had ranked Port Harcourt with Baghdad,
Yemen’s capital of Sana’a and Khartoum in Sudan, as the world’s most dangerous
cities. Going by the ranking published by Bloomberg, Port Harcourt ranked with
Baghdad as one of the world’s most dangerous cities for foreign workers as
criminal gangs and militia groups seeking greater control of energy revenue
stepped up attacks. For Amaechi to have ended this dangerous trend and
rescued Rivers State from the menace of militancy demonstrates that he is a
leader ahead of his peers. It unquestionably makes him one whose proffered
solutions to the Boko Haram menace we should take seriously as the menace can
be likened to the challenge posed by militancy when Amaechi assumed office in
2007.
Hear
Governor Amaechi: “The current problem we are having in Nigeria is tied to
poverty and unemployment. I believe that one solution to this insurgency
is education and employment. The easiest employment is farming, because a
large number of our youths are not educated and skilled. I applied it here
in Rivers State and it worked. We created the Banana Farms that have
created jobs for over 2,000 persons. We revived the Risonpalm; it was dead when
we came, and it has employed over 5,000 workers. Also, the Songhai Farm has
employed over 2,000 workers, while Five Fish Farms in strategic locations have
been completed. We have done all that to create employment opportunities
for our people. I am very sure that the establishment of farms will go a long
way to reduce the recruitment of Boko Haram members. The federal government
must take education, employment and reduction of poverty as priority. We
do appreciate the challenges the federal government is facing now.”
As
obtainable in other states in Nigeria, agricultural policy was almost
nonexistent in Rivers State at the start of Governor Amaechi’s administration.
There was therefore no vehicle upon which the sector could be driven. The
sector appeared to have suffered from total neglect by previous administrations,
leading to the following:
•The
parastatals and companies were in a state of decay, e.g. School-To-Land, Delta
Rubber, Risonpalm, ADP, etc. •Non-release of approved budgetary provisions.
•There were no functional projects. •Agricultural infrastructure was in a
deplorable state. •Counterpart funding on the part of the government was poor.
•Staff training or capacity building was nonexistent.
With the
coming of Governor Amaechi all these woes facing the agricultural sector were
confronted headlong. He has succeeded to the extent that most world leaders
that visited Rivers State commended him for his vision and commitment towards
the development of agriculture in the state.
The first
major step Governor Amaechi took was to initiate an agricultural policy that
would guide his administration in his vision to create another economic base
for the state outside oil.
AGRICULTURAL
POLICY OF RIVERS STATE
In a
broad sense, the policy of government on agriculture is to encourage full
private sector participation in order to attain food security, sufficiency and
best practices. Government is also to be strategically involved in creating the
necessary agricultural environment for farmers by way of providing facilities
and promoting programmes in collaboration with external agencies, institutions
and Governments for the development of agriculture in the state. It has equally
committed itself to invest in agriculture as a foreign exchange earner and use
the sector to generate massive employment opportunities for its citizens.
The
second step Governor Amaechi took in his vision to revolutionise agriculture in
Rivers State was to appoint a very young, vibrant, unassuming and well focused
leader in the person of Mr. Emmanuel Chinda as the Commissioner of Agriculture.
This versatile, workaholic, egalitarian, well exposed politician and a
University of Nigeria Nsukka graduate was all that Governor Amaechi needed to
make much impact in this sector. Born on 18th March, 1970 in Port
Harcourt, Mr. Chinda, Emmanuel Okwulogwo was the first Senate President,
National Union of Rivers State Students and National Secretary General,
National Union of Rivers Students by 1995. By 2002-2008, he was the Organizing
Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emohua LGA. Chinda was a recipient
of award of merit from National Union of Ikwerre Students (NUIS) for the
promotion and growth of the Union, Rotaract Club of University of Nigeria,
Nsukka award for service to humanity, and award of merit from National Union of
Rivers State Students (UNN) for service to Rivers State.
Chinda
before his appointment as the Commissioner of Agriculture from 2009 was the
Executive Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area by 2004 and Chief
Legislative Aide to the Rt. Hon. Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, from
2004 to 2007. From 2008 to 2009 he was a member of the Rivers State Executive
Council as a Commissioner in charge of Employment Generation and
Empowerment.
AMAECHI’S
AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION AND REMARKABLE
FEATS
The
administration of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi since inception in 2007 has
introduced several programmes to revamp the agricultural sector and encourage
people to go back to farming. According to Amaechi, agriculture cannot be
separated from the state’s overall development plan as the sector is being
developed to equally stimulate the state’s economy. His administration has
established the Songhai Centre, Fish Farms and Banana plantation as well as
revived the Risonpalm in addition to other initiatives to improve agricultural
growth and output in the state.
Under the
Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
the Amaechi-led administration has been providing farmers with credit,
subsidies and incentives to boost their output and develop agriculture in the
state. It has consistently provided farmers in the state with high yield and
disease resistant varieties of crops and other planting materials, including
providing professional guidance and assistance to fish farmers.
Apart
from food security, the robust agricultural programmes of the Ameachi
administration are designed to generate employment for the teeming unemployed
youths in the state by encouraging them to go back to the land in order to
resuscitate the sector.
PRACTICAL
STEPS TAKEN BY THE AMAECHI ADMINISTRATION TO PROMOTE AGRICULTURE IN RIVERS
STATE
- SONGHAI RIVERS INITIATIVE FARM (SRIF)
Songhai
farm located at Bunu-Tai/Ban-Ogoi in Tai Local Council covering over 314
hectares of land was introduced after studying the Songhai Centre in Porto
Novo, Benin Republic. The Songhai Rivers Initiative Farm (SRIF), which is 20
times the size of its prototype in Porto Novo, has since its establishment
recorded huge success in its operations. This farm currently under the
supervision of the RSSDA is the biggest agricultural training project/programme
in the country.
A good
number of Rivers people, mostly youths, have benefitted from the government’s
scholarship programme at the Songhai Training Institute in Benin Republic while
others have been trained internally to work at the SRIF, fulfilling part of the
goals of the initiative.
Such
goals include creating employment opportunities for the people, promoting
enterprise development especially amongst the younger generation, promoting
research in new agricultural techniques and varieties, encouraging skills
transfer and adopting appropriate technology by local farmers. Others are
enhancing agricultural production and value addition, building interest in
commercial farming and facilitating agro-tourism in the state.
Another
major aim is to diversify the economy of Rivers State by moving away from
dependence on oil and gas, encourage export and serve as a model for developing
rural cities in the state as well as make the state the centre of agro- based
export free zone.
The
Songhai Rivers Initiative Farm is an integration of Livestock, Aquaculture and
Agro-tourism. The Centre is designed as a place of excellence for training,
production, research, demonstration and development of sustainable agricultural
practices. It is tipped to become the number one hub of agricultural
development in the country.
Prior to
commencement of work at the farm in 2010, the Amaechi administration had
dispatched to the Songhai International Centre in Benin Republic a group of 105
young Rivers men and women from the 23 Local Councils of the state to receive
18-month training in various specialised agriculture and agro-based areas and imbibe
an entrepreneurial culture.
Fifty
trainees out of the number have already been absorbed in SRIF as the first set
of workers who will have the opportunity to run their own farm units, sharpen
their entrepreneurial skills and eventually set up and manage their own
businesses with support from the centre.
- AQUACULTURE PROJECTS IN RIVERS STATE
•MoU has
been signed with ONIDA of Israel for the development of Fish Farms at Buguma
Andoni, Ubima and Opobo.
•The
total production capacity of these farms is 5,000 tons per annum.
•The
project will create employment in the hundreds, generate revenue for the state
and pay back in about four years. It also has the objective of transfer of
technology to our local investors who may wish to replicate this farm in
smaller units.
Strategy
and future considerations
•Fish
Farming in Rivers will improve local community income and alleviate poverty.
•Services
for the industry will create more jobs around the farms.
•Food supply
increase in the country.
•Replace
fish imports and enable.
Buguma
Fish Farm
The
Buguma Fish Farm has been completed and commissioned and is now ready for
commercial production.
•A
company, Buguma Fish Farm Nig. Ltd., has been incorporated with the Cooperate
Affairs Commission (CAC).
•Recruitment
of qualified personnel into the company has been concluded for the first batch
of staff.
•The
Andoni, Opobo and Ubima Fish Farms have also commenced. The sites have since
been acquired and clearing has been done. Land preparation/earth works have
commenced. Imported items for the infrastructural development of the farms
are being awaited.
- BANANA PLANTATION DEVELOPMENT
•The
project is for the cultivation, production and export of banana for commercial
purposes in partnership with San Carlos Nig. Ltd.
•A
Special Purpose vehicle (Precious Bananas Nigeria Limited) has since been
formed for the project.
•About
6,000,000 boxes of banana will be produced annually and marketed locally and
internationally.
•2,000
hectares of land have been acquired for the project at Khana and Tai LGAs.
•The
value of the project is 45 million US dollars.
•Out of
this RSG is to contribute 40% while the partner is to contribute 60%.
•So far
the first phase of about 250 hectares has been fully cultivated.
•Production
for the first stage has been successful as harvest has been made and local
sales effected.
•Land
preparation for the second phase (250ha) has commenced
•The farm
has so far employed about 350 people but is expected to employ about 4,000
people directly when fully established.
- OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT IN RIVERS STATE Risonpalm Ltd
•Agreement has
since been signed with SIAT Nig. Ltd. for the rehabilitation and
replanting of the 16,000 hectares Risonpalm estate under a lease arrangement
for 35 years.
•Rehabilitation
of infrastructure and installation of new processing mills almost completed.
•Engagement
of new staff in progress; Risonpalm has the capacity to employ up to 5,000
people when running fully.
•Value of
project is N20bn in the first 10 years.
- PLANTATION
•Rehabilitation
of the Ubima and Elele estates, i.e. about 14,972 ha of palm trees, has
been done.
•Rehabilitation
of Oil Mill, with present capacity of 30 T/Hr
- OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT
New Oil
Palm Estate
•The
state has sourced 10,000 hectares for the development of a new oil palm estate
in Okwale, Luebe, Lorre, Wikue, Lueku and Kpaa Azuogu, Ndoki, Obete of Khana
and Oyigbo LGAs.
•Investors
are being sourced for project, though discussions are on with a few investors
that have shown interest.
- RUBBER DEVELOPMENT IN RIVERS STATE
•Delta
Rubber: Rehabilitation and planting of the state owned 7,000 hectares Delta
Rubber Company Limited with provision of processing facilities. MOU has just
been signed with private investor, SIAT Nig. Ltd; on lease of the
company.
RUMUEWHOR
RICE PROJECT
•Planting/cultivation
of a 10,000 hectares rice field with provision of modern processing
facilities.
•10,000
hectares has been acquired for the project at Rumuewhor in EMOLGA
•Discussions
with investors have gone far.
•Project
is expected to commence soon.
- RIVERS FADAMA PROJECT
Fadama is
a word for low lying seasonally flooded lands. The following has been achieved
in this area:
•Establishment
of three new farm villages for the cultivation of various crops, chief of which
is cocoa.
•The
project comes with a central processing centre to achieve value addition.
•MoU has
been signed with LR Group of Israel who are investors/partners.
•Project
is expected to employ up to 4,000 people.
•5,000
hectares is being acquired for the project which is supervised by RSSDA with
the involvement of the State Ministry of Agriculture.
•Value of
the project is about 140m dollars
SMALL AND
MEDIUM SCALE PROJECTS
National
Fadama Development Projects: Rivers State is benefitting from a World Bank
Programme to develop the agricultural sub-sector of the economy supported by
the federal, state and local governments to be implemented using Community
Driven Development Approach.
Rivers
State ADP: The ADP has the following programmes:
•Root and
Tubber Expansion Programme (RTEP)
The
programme aims at providing grants to farmers in the state to achieve
sustainable increase in the production of root crops e.g. cassava, yam, cocoyam
and sweet potato.
Focus in
the state is centered on the production and processing of cassava. Funding is
by IFAD, FGN and RSG.
25 Farmers
Co-Operative Societies in the state have received grants for this programme.
RSG counterpart funding since 2008 is N23m.
•Community
Based Natural Resources Management Programme
This
programme is for the empowerment and development of rural communities through
community driven approach in partnership with IFAD. The programme is being
implemented as of now, in 5 LGAs. Funding by RSG is N101,200,000 (2008 &
2009).
INVESTMENT
OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE IN RIVERS STATE
The
mission of the Rivers State Government is anchored on integrity and good
governance. This it hopes to achieve using its God-given resources to improve
the quality of life of its present and future generations and empower its
people.
Rivers
State Government is promoting job creation by investing in its agricultural
sector to promote businesses anchored on public private partnership.
In pursuing
this goal, attractive and flexible investment incentives are available for
investors to the state. This package of incentives which is exclusive to Rivers
State is further enhanced by other Federal Government investment incentives;
and is mainly in the areas of taxation, fiscal policies and guarantees.
POTENTIAL
AREAS OF INVESTMENT
Oil Palm
The state
has over 10,000 ha of land marked out for the development of additional oil
palm estates on PPP basis. Investment in the industry will yield high returns.
RSG is sourcing for investors to leverage on this opportunity.
Rubber
The state
is in the rubber zone of the country and it has enough land for rubber
development especially at the Elele/Ubima and Etche axis of the state.
Investment in the product will be highly profitable.
Banana/Plantain
Few
regions of the world are as endowed as Rivers State in the production of
tropical crops like banana and plantain. Investors need to leverage on
this opportunity.
Rice
RSG has
acquired 10,000 ha of land for rice production/processing and is sourcing for
investors to exploit this opportunity. Additional land is available especially
in the upland areas of the state for rice cultivation. The soil is quite
suitable for the cultivation of this staple food.
Cassava
There is
enough fertile land for cassava planting/cultivation in all the upland areas of
the state and some of the riverine LGAs such as Degema. A large market already
exists for the product. Value addition will increase the benefits of investing
in cassava planting/cultivation.
Pineapple,
Orange, Pawpaw, Coconut
This is a
key area of industrialization (fruit juices) which has not been fully explored.
Enough fertile land exists in the state for their production.
Food
Processing/Packaging
Investment
in food processing/packaging will be rewarding in the sense that there is a
huge market for such products in the state. The state capital, Port Harcourt,
is a cosmopolitan city and Nigeria’s second largest commercial and industrial
centre. With 23 LGAs, Rivers State is rightly described as the investors’
haven.
Aquaculture/Fishery
Rivers
Sate is one of the most endowed states in the country in terms of
aquaculture/fishery. The state currently has four fish farms on PPP basis with
a production capacity of 5,000tons/annum but this is just like a drop in the
ocean considering the fact that about 2million tons of fish is currently
imported into the country annually. There is a huge market for the commodity
and investors need to exploit this opportunity.
Other
areas where investment opportunities abound
•Agro-tourism/Wild
Life
•Hatchery,
Poultry and Processing
•Feed
Production, Packaging and Marketing
•Livestock/Meat
Processing and Animal Husbandry
•Horticulture/Export
of tropical plants and flowers
•Wood
Processing, etc.
OTHER
AREAS OF AMAECHI’S INTERVENTION IN PROVIDING JOBS TO NIGERIANS
According
to the Governor, “the current problem we are having in Nigeria is tied to
poverty and unemployment. I believe that one solution to this insurgency
is education and unemployment. The easiest employment is farming,
because, a large number of them are not educated and unskilled. I applied
it here in Rivers State and it worked. Most of them who were given guns
by the ex-militants, when we asked them, they told us that their parents could
not train them, that is why we introduced free education and free healthcare
programmes. And it occurred to us that to address this problem, we need
social policing, and while you are doing physical policing, you must also do social
and economic policing. And to do that, we started creating employment
opportunities by building over 140 Primary Healthcare Centres and over 300
Model Primary Schools. If you visit these projects, there is no way you
will not see up to at least 50 workers in each of the schools”, Amaechi
said.
“From the
time I became Governor in the past seven years, we have been buying gas from
Agip and Shell in billions of naira, and the federal agencies have been
collecting the revenue without remitting anything to the state. When they
said, distribution was a problem, the state government was able to build 88
sub-stations which are yet to be commissioned, but they are all working.
We invited them to our exco meeting and asked them of how we can get back our funds,
and they said, it is not from them, that all the money they realized had been
paid to their regulators, including our money for the past seven years.
Yet, they tell us they are privatized, when they are still using Rivers State
Government facilities to generate and distribute power”, Amaechi said.
“We
generate 545 megawatts, and we are also building another 180 megawatts, and
before the end of this year, we will have 715 megawatts. We asked them,
how do we get 24 hours power supply, and they told us, we should invest 13
billion naira more. We have already paid 5 billion naira as take-off grant, and
our target is that before the 2015 elections we should have regular power
supply. We are funding now, and when the project is completed, the federal
agencies collect the funds and nothing comes to us. The privatization is
not complete, the federal agencies collect the money we invested and own the
infrastructures or we are ready to buy you out and own the power distribution
network in Port Harcourt. We are tired of complaining about power.
On your way to the federal government Afam Power Station, also ask them to show
you the state government Afam Station. Our 180 megawatts have been
completed and we are building another 180 megawatts. We have the Omoku Power
Station, Eleme Power Station, and the Trans-Amadi Power Station that has about
130 megawatts. So, we have enough power supply. But, the problem is
that federal agencies collect the funds. If they pay us half of what they
are owing us, we assure you, we will run 24 hours power supply, because we are
only funding it and getting nothing out of it. This arrangement is not
conducive for the state”, Amaechi stated.
Governor
Amaechi further called on investors in the state to improve in their investment
potentials and seek ways of creating more job opportunities for job seekers.
If this
is not revolution then I am at a loss on what revolution means. Give me ten of
the types of Amaechi and I will turn Nigeria into a heaven on earth! QED
CONCLUSION
I will
conclude this treatise with a quote from Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former
President of Nigeria, during his visit to Rivers State to commission some
projects initiated by the administration of Governor Amaechi: “I came to see
developments and I have seen developments and I will confess developments! What
I have seen is worth declaring! The area of health, education, Agriculture,
Sports and road infrastructure is worth declaring. When I see development I
earmark, eye mark and mouthmark.”
•Eze Chukwuemeka
Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He can be
reached via 08038199163, ezemediaconcept08@rocketmail.com.
