Obaseki inaugurates agric empowerment initiative

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has inaugurated the Agriculture Empowerment Initiative Ad hoc Committee to revamp agricultural activities in the state.
Obaseki, who inaugurated the committee in Benin on Thursday, said that the committee would kick start reforms in the agriculture sector before a full committee would be formed.
He said the committee would help government implement specific projects which would create between 50,000 and 80,000 agricultural jobs before the end of the year.
“We want to ensure that we begin some agricultural activities before the next cropping season.
“We want to cultivate 5,000 hectares of maize farm, 10,000 hectares of green houses for vegetable and tomatoes.
“Four thousand hectares for piggery farming and support 3,000 cocoa farmers for improved yield,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Agriculture would serve as the secretariat, while the Secretary to the State Government would give the committee the necessary support.
Obaseki urged the committee to on a weekly basis submit report on the level of progress being made.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the committee, Chief Osaro Idah, commended the governor for the opportunity given them to serve.
Idah assured the governor of the committee’s commitment to achieve it’s mandate of employment creation and increased agricultural productivity in the state.