The traditional ruler of the Efut kingdom in Cross River state, Munene Maurice Okon Eyo I, has said the ability of Governor Ben Ayade to rapidly revolutionise cocoa industry in the state within seven years, was helping to make youth less restive.
The royal father said this Thursday during the flag off of the 2022 harvest and distribution of improved varieties of cocoa from the model farm in Cross River Broadcasting Corporation, Calabar, to farmers, particularly those from the southern senatorial district of the state.
He noted that more farmers, especially youth, were now embracing the planting of the cash crop and smiling to the banks on a daily basis thereby stopping them from criminalities and restiveness.
He said: “Let me thank Governor Ayade for his agro-industrial policy that has seen a great revolution, particularly in cocoa production. This is indeed commendable as many of our youth are now venturing into cocoa farming, they are becoming millionaires and they are eschewing vices.
“Since they say we do not have oil, cocoa has become our own oil. I encourage our people to go into the business en-mass. The governor has opened our eyes and we are grabbing this opportunity with everything we have.”
Speaking earlier, the special adviser to the governor on Cocoa Development and Control, Dr Oscar Ofuka, said Governor Ayade decided to revolutionise the cocoa sub sector from the inception of his administration in 2015.
He said apart from the cocoa business doing massively well in the central zone, “we decided to do an experiment down here in the southern senatorial district, and our experiment indicated that the south is better placed to produce cocoa than any other part of the state, due to its good weather and soil texture.”
