GOV OTU REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AS CROSS RIVER HOSTS HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATION OF EXPERTS
✓ Governor pledges continued partnership with agricultural stakeholders to drive economic growth and food security.
By Blessing Enagu.
CALABAR – Governor Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to repositioning agriculture as a major driver of economic growth, describing the sector as central to his People-First Agenda.
The Governor made this known on Monday when he received a high-level delegation of agricultural experts led by the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, at Government House, Calabar.
The delegation included the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), Mohammed Ibrahim; Country Representative of
Propcom+, Adiya Ode; Country Director of PULA Advisors, Dr. Mike Enahoro; and a technical team from the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and Ghana Tree Crops Development Authority, comprising Michael Ekow Amoah and Kwesi Korboe.
Governor Otu commended the team for their partnership with the State, noting that their visit aligns with his administration’s ongoing efforts to restore agriculture to its pride of place in the economy.
“We must go back to our roots. God has blessed us with vast arable land and abundant natural resources; we only need to harness our ecosystem ethically,” the Governor said.
He recalled that agriculture was once the mainstay of Cross River’s economy and outlined some of his administration’s key initiatives, including digital soil mapping and research-driven interventions, to strengthen productivity and attract investment in the sector.
Otu assured the delegation of the government’s full support in achieving their complementary missions in the State.
“We operate with a clear template, we set targets and achieve them. Our goal is not only to grow Cross River’s economy but also to contribute to national food security,” he added.
Earlier, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, received the delegation in his office, where preliminary discussions were held before leading them to the Governor.
In separate remarks, members of the delegation commended the Governor for the visible progress recorded within the agricultural sector, describing Cross River as a pacesetter in agricultural policy formulation.
The Nigeria Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), whose core mandate is to de-risk agricultural financing for subnational governments, is partnering with the State to support the Project Grow initiative.
Similarly, Propcom+ has continued to assist the State through the Multi-Stakeholder Committee on Cocoa, Coffee and Oil Palm Development, facilitating key initiatives such as the Deforestation-Free Policy, a study tour to Ghana, and the ongoing technical guide for the development of a Cash Crop Development Agency.
These efforts are part of the 7-Year Strategic Development Plan for Cocoa, Coffee and Oil Palm (2025–2032), which provides a roadmap for sustained value chain development in the State.
The visit features a week-long series of technical sessions and knowledge-sharing engagements with the Multi-Stakeholder Committee to support the establishment of the Cross River State Cash Crop Development Agency, which will serve as a central framework for implementing the strategic plan.
PULA Advisors, on their part, will introduce a digital and internationally recognised traceability system for the State’s agricultural sector in line with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
With all partners working in synergy under the State’s strategic agricultural roadmap, Governor Bassey Otu’s administration continues to record significant strides in agricultural transformation and economic sustainability.
The meeting was also attended by Nasir Ingawa, General Manager (Partnerships), NADF; Umar Mohammed (Propcom+); Esther Aina (Propcom+); Habibullahi Ibrahim (Propcom+); State Director of Project Grow, Denis Ikpali; Chairman of the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Rt. Hon. Dr. George Oben Etchi; Vice Chairman of the Multi-Stakeholder Committee, Prof. Damian Agom; and the Secretary, Ntufam Ekpe Bassey.
