The agricultural revolution policy of the administration of Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has received a major boost with the government’s diversification strategy to invest massively in oil palm development.
The goal is to make the state the major hub for palm oil production
Towards this end, the governor has directed the ministry of Agriculture to work towards the establishment of a Songhai Model Oil Palm Mill at Ibekwe Akpanyah community in Mkpat Enin local government area, in order to explore and exploit the vast agricultural potentials, especially in palm oil production.
Eno, who announced this while speaking at a special church service to mark the 75th birthday celebration of Apostle John Okoriko, and the 49th anniversary of the Solid Rock Kingdom Church (SRKC), said the intervention became necessary to incorporate the private sector into the policies and programmes.
The governor said the location of the mill at Ibekwe Akpanyah community is to complement the already existing massive oil palm plantation by the Solid Rock Church, led Apostle Okoriko, and to provide various levels of processing services for other oil palm farmers in the area, assuring that the mill will be a replication of the Songhai Farms model.
He said, “It’s a full mill. My team that went with me to the Songhai Integrated Farm saw that mill. I wanted to do a model, so now that I have seen a private farm here, we will put a model here so that you and the women in this area, can keep producing and supporting government.”
Governor Eno observed that by not limiting himself to preaching, but undertaking such a massive agricultural venture, Apostle Okoriko has exemplified true godliness and hard work worthy of emulation, and assured him of the government’s support to help boost the farm’s productivity as well as provide a value chain for the farm produce.
He congratulated Apostle Okoriko, at 75, and lauded his ministration style of simplifying the gospel to the understanding of the locals, describing him as an asset in the Akwa Ibom Christian community.
Apostle Okoriko expressed gratitude to God for miraculously preserving his life and keeping the church, adding that he counted it a great blessing to have the governor with the state government officials and lots of dignified people show up to celebrate his 75th birthday and 49th anniversary of his church.
