Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has announced that his administration is actively working on plans to revive the long-abandoned Ogwe Golden Chicken to boost Agriculture and economic development in the State.
Governor Otti made this known, on Monday , when he received a delegation of Israeli agro-business investors, led by the Business Development Manager of Agro Top, Israel, Mr. Ofer Zuntz, alongside development partners from Max Agro Farm.
The Governor emphasized that his administration is actively working to resuscitate several State-owned investments abandoned by previous administrations including the once-thriving Ogwe Golden Chicken.
He revealed that discussions would be deepened with the Israeli investors to explore the possibility of concessioning the farm to them.
“Farming generally and specifically, poultry is an important aspect of our strategy. In the past, there has been poultry farms around the State that actually did well.
“One of them is the Ogwe Golden Chicken. It has been abandoned for a while we have plans to get it back to life.just like we are getting back to life a lot of other abandoned industries and projects”, Governor Otti stated.
He noted that while some aspects of the facility may have become obsolete due to advancements in technology, the existing infrastructure provides a foundation for redevelopment.
The Governor assured that once all necessary evaluations are conducted and the investors are found suitable, the State Government would consider a concession arrangement to ensure the farm’s successful revival.
“By the time we ask all the questions and we are satisfied that you are the right partners we can begin to think of concesioning the farm to you and your partner”, he assured.
Governor Otti expressed confidence in Agro Top’s expertise, citing their operations in over 50 countries, and welcomed potential collaborations in various agricultural value chains, including piggery.
He commended the investors for bringing their business proposal to Abia State and assured them of a conducive environment for investment.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Ofer Zuntz, highlighted Agro Top’s interest in partnering with Abia State to develop livestock farming, particularly in poultry and piggery.
He assured that their projects are not mere “white elephant” ventures, as they have a strong track record of successful agricultural initiatives across different regions.
Also, the Founding Director of Max Agro Farm, Mr. Ejike Nwankwo, reaffirmed his company’s partnership with the Israeli firm to provide advanced agricultural solutions with a primary focus on poultry production.
He described the visit as an opportunity to present their investment proposal, which he said would be mutually beneficial to both parties.
