Abia State Government has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) with the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) for the reactivation of the Ogwe Golden Chicken Project in Ukwa West LGA of the State.
When fully operational, the Ogwe Golden Chicken Project would employ over 3000 Abia Youths from the community thereby reduce unemployment drastically,engage the youths in the entire poultry value chain and put Abia on the Agricultural Map in terms of egg production.
Speaking after signing the MOU at Government House Umuahia,Governor Okezie Ikpeazu expressed delight with the arrangement to reactivate the Farm project,noting that his adminstration would continue to mainstream agriculture to ensure food security.
Describing Agriculture as a very strategic enterprise, Governor Ikpeazu said it remains the greatest provider of jobs for the teeming youths as well as provides raw materials for other secondary and tertiary industry.
He said: “I am happy with the strategy of NALDA under Prince Ikonne’s leadership which has engendered local participation in the economy.
“The idea is that it will reverse rural urban drift and create local economies that will drive socio- economic development in the rural areas.
“Intervention of the Federal Government has spoken volumes that government has finally come and we can see a glimmer of hope that we will operationalize Ogwe Golden Chicken Project.
“Today i can see the young ones returning to the center stage of activities from that Estate all courtesy of the intervention of Mr President through NALDA.
Ikpeazu while noting that the Ogwe Golden Chicken project is a project very dear to the people of the Ukwa, pledged his administration’s support to the leadership of NALDA in their bid to operationalize agricultural reserves in the rural areas.
He expressed delight with NALDA ‘s intervention in the area of fish farming in Ikwuano LGA and pledged to find an appropriate centre in Abia North for NALDA’s activities.
The Governor thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for appointing Prince Ikonne to lead out in the strategic intervention and commended Prince Ikonne for operationalizing NALDA and seeking relevance for the youths through agriculture which he said would reflect their yearnings and connect them with the governance process of the country.
Earlier in his speech, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, National Agricultural Land Development Authority, Prince Paul Ikonne said the Ogwe Golden Chicken Farm project would when reactivated,recruit about 3000 youths from the immediate community.
Disclosing that the first phase of the project will be commissioned in December this year, Prince Ikonne further said that the farm will comprise the processing plant, production and training section.
According to Prince Ikonne, Abia is entitled to three integrated farm estates to be developed by NALDA in addition to benefiting from the fish village currently being developed in Ikwuano LGA.
He therefore appealed to Governor Ikpeazu to donate more land for NALDA programs and thanked him for attracting Federal Government Projects to the State.
