Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, has lauded Governor Ben Ayade on the agro-industrial strides of the Cross River-based administration, and advised that other governors in the country should borrow a leaf from him.
Nanono, who spoke in Calabar at the weekend during a town hall meeting organised by agro industrialist groups operating in the South -south geopolitical zone, said Cross River had become a reference point in agro-industrial revolution.
“Cross River state has done a lot in agro industralisation not just for its people but the whole country. We are happy to have the state as a reference point in agro industralisation in the whole country. Cross River is a non oil producing state with probably the least allocation but to achieve what they have done is remarkable.
“It is a reality that I have seen today. The Cross River governor knows the important of agriculture for food sufficiency and revenue generation. I urge other governors to emulate Governor Ayade in agro-industrialisation.
“What Governor Ayade has achieved in this direction is the beginning of agro industralisation in the country and the synergy and value chains created at the macro level are what the country needs to reduce the level of unemployment,” he stated.
The federal government was doing everything humanly possible to provide mechanised farming in all the 774 local government areas of the nation, and therefore tasked youths to embrace the agro-industrial sector. He stated further that the federal government would give support to the state in the area of agro-industrialisation to enhance food security,
In his remarks, Governor Ayade said his administration would do everything possible to sustain the efforts recorded in agro industrial business to stimulate economic growth, and that initiatives like the G-Money would go a long way to reducing unemployment in the country.
