The Edo State government has raised a nine-man committee to kick-starts its agricultural empowerment programme.
The committee, which is headed by Osaro Idah was inaugurated recently by the Governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki.
Obaseki said the programme would create between 50,000 and 80,000 jobs adding that the committee was constituted to ensure that his administration begins some of its agricultural activities before the next cropping season.
He listed four key areas the empowerment programme would focus on which include 5,000 hectares of maize, 10 000 hectares of green house for vegetables and tomatoes, 4000 hectares of piggery as well as provide support to 3000 cocoa farmers to improve their yields for this season.
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The governor explained: “This is an advocacy committee which we expect to kick start the agriculture mandate as contained in my election campaign. We will soon constitute a full committee to look holistically at our agricultural initiative.
“We cannot wait given that we are in a race against time. We want to ensure that we begin some of our agricultural activities before the next cropping season. We want this committee to help government think through very quickly, identity specific project we must begin to implement immediately. We have three months of dry season to make all the preparation required before the rains come in.”
Responding, Chairman of the Committee, Idah, thanked the governor for the opportunity to enable them serve the state.
He promised that the committee would put all its resources together and not fail the government and people of the state in the governor’s quest to create employment for the people in line with his election campaign.
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