By: © JAE MEDIA.
It was a brainstorming day as a cross-section of heads of the organized Agro value chain, Cross River State paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Crops and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson A. Ebokpo.
The group led by Chief Edem congratulated the commissioner, Hon. Johnson Ebokpo Jnr, on his appointment, while pledging to synergize with the ministry in different Agro value chain practices to ensure food security, providing their cooperation and support for Governor Otu’s administration.
Reacting to this patriotic gesture, Hon. Ebokpo welcomed the heads, while assuring them that the administration of Governor Otu is committed to giving Agriculture top priority. He added that agriculture must be built from the fundamentals, especially the ministry under his watch (Crops and Irrigation Development).
Commissioner Ebokpo thanked God for granting Cross Riverians, for the first time, a pragmatic Governor who is committed to the well-being of the people. He maintained that things will be done differently and systematically this time, as the government will partner with the various value-chain actors to bring about the desired results.
He also revealed that the world is swiftly transitioning into a public-private sector ideology. He maintained that since the government wouldn’t do everything on its own, it is therefore ready to align with private sector players to create new business hubs and collaborate with the sector to bring this fresh air. He however asserted that the above strategies are only achievable by first reorganizing the ministry and setting up a blueprint that would be followed systematically, meticulously, and methodically in collaboration with organized private sector stakeholders who are engaged in actual farming and not with pseudo farmers. He assured that the sweetness of the Prince Otu’s conscientious agricultural revolution in the state is very pragmatic and geared towards setting the records straight by following due processes during implementation.
The Commissioner further revealed that the state would invest only in Agribusinesses in which it has a comparative advantage, as it is not going to be business as usual.
In a related development, the Soladaridad group has expressed confidence in the ability and vast experience of the commissioner in the field of agribusiness. The group which visited the commissioner on Wednesday with a similar value chain proposal, promised to partner with the Ministry of Crops and Irrigation Development for more fruitful businesses. They made this commitment after providing a brief overview of their content and what their company can offer to the Prince Otu led administration if allowed to do so.
The meeting, which had the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Bassey Ekpe, Director of Agric Services, and other top directors of the ministry in attendance, was successful.
©JAE MEDIA.
