The Akwa Ibom State government has committed to revamping 486 rural roads spanning the three senatorial districts of the state. The aim is to establish seamless connections between rural and urban areas.
Dr. Offiong Offor, the State Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, made this known in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom, during a ministerial briefing titled Arise Scorecard Season 1.0, focusing on Food Security and Sufficiency.
She revealed that the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, funded by the State government in partnership with the World Bank and French Development Agency, will enhance agricultural activities in rural regions.
Present at the briefing were Mr. Ini Ememobong, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Emem Bob, the Commissioner for Economic Development, and Mr. Dan Akpan, the chairman of the Bulk Purchase Agency.
Offor highlighted that fixing the rural roads would decrease post-harvest losses by facilitating the transportation of farm produce to urban areas.
She stressed the government’s dedication to boosting food production through the distribution of farm inputs to various farmers and cooperative groups. The AK-CARES project, another initiative by the State government in collaboration with the World Bank, has helped in poverty reduction, hunger alleviation, and mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emphasizing the significance of cooperative groups in enhancing food production, Offor pointed out that group farming fosters idea exchange, facilitates access to finances, and provides more resources for production compared to individual farming.
She revealed that the Young Farmers Club has been reinstated in public schools to spark students’ interest in farming activities.
Offor mentioned, “Governor Eno has extended support to public secondary and boarding schools by supplying them with farm inputs to provide food for the students.”
Information Commissioner, Comrade Ememebong, highlighted the briefing’s importance in effectively communicating the government’s initiatives to achieve food sufficiency and combat poverty, especially in rural areas.
Mr. Bob, the Commissioner for Economic Development, mentioned that the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the removal of petroleum subsidy prompted the initiation of the AK-CARES project to aid vulnerable households and farmers in the state.
Bob disclosed that approximately 2.3 million vulnerable households listed in the state’s social register would benefit from the Bulk Purchase Intervention.
Mr. Aniekan Umanah, the governor’s Media Consultant, praised the government’s efforts in ensuring food availability, affordability, and stability.
Umanah encouraged the people of Akwa Ibom to embrace agriculture and support the government’s investments in the sector.
Further elucidating the importance of the Bulk Purchase Intervention, Rt. Hon. Dan Akpan, the agency’s chairman, assured the public of the quality of food items distributed and called for their support for the project’s success.