Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has reiterated that agriculture remained the only veritable means to improve the economic fortunes of the country.
The governor made the statement on Monday in Yenagoa when he received participants from the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, who were on a study visit of the state.
Stressing that agriculture was imperative to economic development, the governor described the sector as the “only veritable means of improving the economy.’’
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribogha John-Jonah (rtd), advised the participants to come up with `transparent analysis’ to assist the government chart a way to improve its agricultural programmes.
“We want to thank you for choosing to come to Bayelsa as part of your training programme.
“I am sure by the time you finish your study here, you would have been well briefed on the direction of government’s efforts and even the challenges that we have been encountering.
“We hope that you will come up with solutions that can help us address the issues facing us.
“And we expect that you will make very transparent analysis; where we are getting it right and areas we have to improve,” he said.
Brig.-Gen. Obina Enumenu, the team leader of the participants from the National Defence College, said they were in Bayelsa to undertake a study tour of the agricultural potentials of the state.
He said that agriculture had been identified as `one of the key sectors’ through which the country could actualise diversification of its economy to achieve food security.
“We shall interact and exchange ideas and make recommendations that will make the state move forward.
“As we interact with people in different parts of Bayelsa, we will be able see how we can apply the information we already have concerning food security in other parts of the country and the world.
“At the end, we will come out with a report that will encapsulate our findings and recommendations,” he said.
