The Akwa Ibom government has announced plans to revamp its palm oil plantation known as Dakkada Global Oil Palm Limited, formerly known as Akwa Palms Estate to boost the drive towards industrialisation.
The palm farm is located in six communities in Esit Eket, Urueffong Oruko and Mbo Local Government Areas of the state.
Governor Umo Eno made this known during a fact-finding mission to monitor the progress recorded at the farm, saying the state government was interested in revamping the plantation.
He lauded former Governor Udom Emmanuel for the investment and his foresight in resuscitating the oil palm farm.
“We want to ensure that we continue with the work on this facility, to inspect and know what has happened so far.
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“I was appointed the executive director of Agric Investment by the administration of Udom Emmanuel and his mandate on me was to revive this plantation.
“It is not my administration that revived it but the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel. We must give credit to whom credit is due. If he did not give me money to put here, we wouldn’t be here today,” he stated.
Governor Eno informed the people that he brought the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) into the project to pave the way for the state to benefit from the bank’s oil palm development initiatives, a move which prompted former Governor Emmanuel to release money to facilitate the resuscitation.
“We graded all the roads leading to this plantation and met with the chiefs, community, and youth leaders before we started. We brought the CBN here because we wanted and still want to key into the CBN oil palm development initiatives.
“Other states are benefiting, so Akwa Ibom has to benefit. We know we have an asset that if we develop properly, we can benefit from this facility.
He told the community that oil palm can generate funds, adding that they should encourage such venture, and assured the youths of gainful employment in the plantation which he said would be upgraded to standard with facilities and security gadgets, thanking the host communities for their decision to hand over the farm to government.
