CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE STEERING COMMITTEE, LIFE-ND, PROF. IKECHI MGBOJI (C) DURING THE INAUGURATION.
The newly inaugurated Chairman of the State Steering Committee on Life-ND, projects in Abia State, Professor Ikechi Mgboji, has called on his 15, man committee members not to see their inauguration as mere ceremony.
Mgboji, a commissioner in the Abia state ministry of agriculture charged the committee to look beyond rhetorics and ensure that their oversight functions on behalf of the state government and to clear state annual work plan and budgets are carried out in such manner that the impacts of the programme on Abians would be realistic.
According to him, ” we are here to give impetus and moral support to this project so that at its end we have achieved the aim of why it was set up “.
Inaugurating the committee, the State Project Coordinator of Life-ND, Dr. Uchenna Onyeizu, said that the project when fully implemented will develop and supply skilled youths labour using the incubator and incubatee model piloted by the Community Based Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP), where successful rural agribusinesses are facilitated to mentor neighbouring youths to produce greater volumes, leading to higher value enterprises and community incomes, job creation and food security.
He explained that the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria (Life-ND ) is a Federal Government of Nigeria project with funding from International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD) and the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) with the aim of realizing a transformed rural economy in which the rural populace can derive prosperity and equal benefits through agribusinesses.
Onyeizu, maintained that the rationale behind the programme is to support Nigeria ‘s agricultural policies and uses the policy to address growing number of restless unemployed youths especially in the rural areas (aged 18-35) as well as women heading households with children under the age of 15, who are willing to engage in productive agribusinesses.
In Abia state, Onyeizu, said that Life-ND at its first phase is covering 10, local government areas with 10, communities per each LGA based on defined criteria adding that in overall the project is being implemented in 100, communities across the state depending on IFAD selection criteria.
Onyeizu, further explained that while the priority agricultural commodities selected based on comparative advantage are cassava, rice, oil palm and poultry.
He states that during incubation process, apprentices will receive 10, days business planning and management training by established business development service providers, identified by Life-ND, to provide them with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills.
According to him, ” after the incubation period, these incubatees will start up an enterprise supported with modest seed capital from Life-ND, which will be paid back following the first cycle of sales.
In her speech, the National Liason Officer, IFAD, Dr. Chinwe Onyegbula expressed that this is part of vision 2020, to diversify agric enterprise for job creation, food security and robust economy for Nigeria.
Meanwhile, members of the state steering committee are the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Ikechi Mgboji, chairman, Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Aham Uko, member, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. D. K. Uduma, member, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Mrs. Ukachi Amala, member. Commissioner of Youth, Chief Emeka Ikwuagwu.
Others are Director, Women Empowerment, ministry of women affairs, Director, Youth Empowerment, Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (Abia stated chapter ), Chairman Cassava Growers Association of Nigeria(Abia State chapter ), Chairman, poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria(Abia State chapter ), Chairman, Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria(Abia State chapter), President Youth Council of Nigeria(Abia State chapter ), President, National Council on Women Societies(Abia State Chapter), Bank of Agriculture and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending(NIRSAL ) Whill the state project coordinator of Life-ND in Abia, Dr. Uchenna Onyeizu will serve as secretary of the committee.
