Peter Mbah, Enugu State governorship flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has said he will establish special agro-allied processing zones in the state if elected.
Mbah disclosed this on Wednesday at his town hall meetings held in Aninri East and Aninri South Development Centres of the state while interacting with different sections of the communities to ascertain their needs and further integrate them in his programmes for the people, according to a statement.
He assured the people of the state, as well as investors and members of the business community that his administration would transform Enugu State from subsistence agriculture to a hub of agro-allied industrialisation driven by technology.
The town hall meetings, organised to avail members of the communities, including different professional bodies, the opportunity to interact with Mbah, attracted thousands of community leaders, religious leaders, traders, market women, farmers, and other trade union bodies who took out time to express their concerns about the future of the state and what they expect from his administration.
In their separate speeches at the two development centres, Chinedu Okwu, the member representing Aninri State Constituency at the House of Assembly, and Uchenna Ogbonna, commissioner for labour and productivity, bemoaned the recurring flood menace in the area during the rainy season which they blamed for low productivity in their farming produce.
They urged Mbah to complete the abandoned water dam commenced by the federal government in the area, stressing that he has the intellectual grit, competence, and proven capacity to make a huge difference in the lives of the people.
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Mbah said, “We came here for serious business and to interface with you on how to implement our manifesto by giving you the opportunity to speak to us directly.
“We came to ascertain your needs and we have heard you clearly. I want to tell you we are documenting all the issues you have raised and we are tackling them.”
He said there cannot be meaningful development without quality infrastructures in the state.
Mbah said his administration would bring about integrated development industrialisation, which will transform agriculture from the present sub-optimal and low production to agro-allied industrialisation, with the state targeting not only to be the food basket of the nation but to also go into net exporting of agricultural produce.
He said: “We have many programmes that are productivity based that will move our economy from its present $4.4 billion to $30 billion. Aninri will be a key part of achieving the project. We are going to guard our land jealously and address all cases of trespass on our land.
“It is part of our programme to establish special agro-allied processing zones across the state. We will provide all that our farmers need to scale up production.”
