Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has assured that his state would enter into partnerships with development agencies, especially in agriculture to grow the state’s economy.
He said this when he received a delegation of the World Bank-funded Agro-processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) project led by national procurement specialist, Abdulgafar Kayode.
He assured that the state would do everything, including payment of the second tranche of the counterpart funding to ensure that the project succeeded in the state.
The Abia governor said that the project was in line with his administration’s agricultural policy, maintaining that agriculture remains the key for sustainable development. He informed the delegation that his administration had established cottage industries in all the 17 LGAS in the state, starting with seven pilot LGAS. He said the move would reduce urban drift in the state and improve the economy as agriculture has been known to create jobs and provide raw materials for industries.
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He equally disclosed that the state government had already established an Abia Marketing and Quality Control agency that would ensure standardization of agricultural products in the state.
Earlier, the leader of APPEALS project, Abdulgafar Kayode said his team was in the state to ascertain its readiness in participating in the special agricultural project and to finalize discussions in that regard.
