Peter Bassey|16 February 2016|5:30am
According to the “World Bank’s Subnational Doing Business Report for Nigeria” Cross River State is ranked one of the major cities for ease of doing business in Nigeria. The state benefits from its vast arable land and plentiful rainfall which makes for a state conducive to cultivation.
Agricultural produce as reported by “Invest Cross River” is the leading non-oil revenue contributor to the state’s economy and employs at least 70% of the state labour force. Therefore it is imperative to note that investments in infrastructure and modern inputs, fertilizers, seeds, tools, agro-chemicals etc would greatly improve the quality and quantity of agricultural output, which necessitate a case to be made for the Songhai initiative.
When the Sen. Liyel Imoke’s administration signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Songhai Regional Centre in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin to build an integrated world class centre for agribusiness and entrepreneurship in the state, Cross Riverians applauded this initiative. Since then, the Cross River Songhai Farm has met only to an extent its objectives; hence the centre has not been fully utilized and still has a lot to be done.
The prototype which shows that the farm was supposed to have modernized factories and was to cut across Itigidi, Adadama and Anong all in Abi Local Government Area is yet to be completed. It is therefore no doubt, the recent appointment of Hon. Sunny Udeh as Special Assistant on Songhai is a right step by the Sen. Ben Ayade’s administration towards transforming the agricultural sector, reduce poverty in the state vis-à-vis repositioning the Songhai Farms to meet the vision of its founding fathers.
Hon. Udeh is a young vibrant, innovative and focused phenomenon. He holds a degree in Zoology and M.Sc from the prestigious University of Calabar. He became a Councillor in 2003, under the platform of the People Democratic Party, and was elected Leader, of the Abi Local Government Legislative Council. He was also elected to serve as Leader of Leaders of Councils in the entire Cross River State in 2003-2007 during the Donald Duke administration. Hon Udeh’s leadership qualities and the telling impact on the people of Ebom/Ebijakra council ward as well as the Abi community made Sen. Liyel Imoke, the then governor of Cross River State to appoint him Special Assistant (Administration). And in 2011, he was re-appointed to the same position where he served till 2015 at the expiration of Sen. Imoke’s administration.
With the state government’s plans of diversifying the economy, it is worthy of note that Hon. Udeh’s appointment is concomitant to his past achievements, and I am confident his expertise, humble and focused nature will go a long way to add value to the Songhai Farms and give it a comparative advantage over other sectors of the state economy.
Congratulations Hon. Sunny Udeh “The Peoples Boss”.
Peter Bassey
Writes from Calabar
