Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has assured that his administration is set to revolutionise agriculture using the Songhai Farms in Bunu-Tai community in Tai local government area of the state as a launching pad.
Fubara, who gave the assurance during an inspection visit to the Songhai Farm yesterday, was conducted round some sections of the facility by the manager of the farm, Dr. Sammy Jaja.
The governor said the visit was sequel to the decisions at the last National Economic Council (NEC) meeting where the need for diversification of the economy was harped on in order to cushion the current economic hardship experienced by the citizenry.
He said: “In our last National Economic Council meeting, because of the present situation of our economy, which you are aware; the issue of removal of fuel subsidy and other economic bite affecting every one, everybody was advised to diversify.
“The other option is agriculture and we were all advised to see what we can do to improve on food sufficiency.”
Fubara stated that revamping the Songhai Farms would serve the purpose of diversifying the economy of the state, get the people engaged meaningfully and increase food sufficiency capacity of the state.
The governor said: “As I leave here now we are going to bring in all the stakeholders to discuss on the way forward. What I am seeing here will require long term planning and going back to the site to reinstating the installed facilities that have become desolate.
“The state government will not just do that, we will bring in people who have the strength and commitment to partner with us to bring back this place to life.
“The advantages to be derived when this place comes back to life include food sufficiency and employment generation. It will also address issues of youth restiveness.”
Manager of the Shonghai project, Dr. Sammy Jaja, said the project was based on a self-driven zero waste model and has the potential of promoting economic development.
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