Akwa Ibom to cultivate hybrid tomatoes for export

Akwa Ibom state government has announced plans to cultivate 10 hectares of farmland for hybrid tomatoes in two months’ time to address the country’s huge demand of the produce and also for export.

Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom State made this known recently while inspecting a greenhouse plantation scheme in Uruan Local Government Area of the state.

The governor described the scheme as a major revolution in farming, noting that apart from the tomatoes, other vegetables including cucumber will also be produced using greenhouse technology.

Udom, who said that the state is running the scheme based on its vision and blueprint, stressed that any government that cannot feed its own citizens is not working, irrespective of the infrastructure it provides.

According to him, the state is taking a total approach towards the welfare of its people by thinking right from what the people eat, wear and to the building of individual capacity to the expected level.

To boost export of the hybrid tomatoes, Udom said part of the over 100 megawatts of electricity generated by the Ibom Power Plant is to be drawn to the substation at the airport.

He explained that the power project was to effectively boost power supply to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), the terminal building, cargo operations and other airport facilities when they become fully operational to encourage export.

Speaking further on the developments at the airport, Akan Okon, commissioner for Housing and Special Duties, explained that the second runway which is 3.6km will on completion, have the capacity to carry a 747 cargo aircraft.

Okon stated that so far, 3.5km out of the 3.6km in the 60 meters wide runway has been completed.

He said the state government has made significant progress on the airport project and expressed optimism that the Federal Government would work with the state with a view to completing the MRO facility which was originally designed to be a National Maintenance Aviation Centre.

Speaking during the inspection, K. C. Akuma, group managing director of ALCON, the contracting company at the airport explained the workings of the Power Distribution Centre in the airport while noting that the current consumption was 2 megawatts.

He said the MRO, International Terminal building phase 2 and others expected to come on stream subsequently will consume about 7.5 megawatts still leaving enough gap for whatever facility the State Government may intend to bring on board in the future.

 

ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo