Nyok|28 June 2018
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), chieftain in Cross River State, Barr Chris Agara, as well as the Commissioners for Education and Environment, Mr Goddy Etta and Engr Mike Eraye respectively have commended Governor Ben Ayade on the historic visit of President Buhari to the state to commission the first rice seedling city in Africa this week.
Barr Chris Agara who said that the President's second visit to the state within three years of his first term goes a long way to show forth the value Buhari has for Governor Ayade and Cross Riverians.
Speaking with newsmen at the Rice Seedling and seed factory, Barr Agara said for the President to visit the state in this frequency and the Policy statements he made are all indications that Buhari loves and values cross river state.
'Do you know what it means for the president to visit your state? A state that is not on the same political platform and for the President to come and be making such policy statements, and we all know that the president we have is not known to be talking carelessly.
'So for him to come here for the second time within three and within his first term, it shows how much he values the governor and even the state. So to me, the visit is innovative very good for Cross River and Nigeria as well as posterity". He said.
Speaking on the agricultural strides of Governor Ben Ayade, the learned politician said he is not only ready to key into the vision of the Governor but he is already a strong partner with the governor to drive the agricultural sector.
'You are all aware that am partnering with the state government to develop the cocoa subsector in Ikom. That is the cocoa factory, so also is the rice mill in Obudu, even what you see here(rice seedlings and seed factory), am part of the value chain here in the development of what is happening here which will complement the rice mill or end up in the rice mill'.
The Senatorial aspirant promised that if given the opportunity to serve the Central Senatorial district in the red chambers he will further drive the process and make sure the people are trained and taught modern and technological methods of farming.
'My thrust has always been on the development of agriculture. My thrust is that you have to get the people back to the land and because that's the advantage you have, you don't need to teach your people how to farm you only need to encourage and teach them new techniques like what we have here today.
'So for me, if I go to the National Assembly if given the chance, my thrust is to see how we can get our rightful place in the agricultural development of the country.
'You will all agree with me that if we take the right steps and engage the right people and getting them to be innovative as they realize their potentials in terms of agricultural development, it will move us from the level we are now to a higher pedestal.
'The cocoa processing factory and rice mill have been built to an international standard and we are going to build a research and development centre where we will carry out periodic and regular analysis of what we produce to ensure they meet international standard specification. And there will be no compromise on quality in terms of processing and packaging, so these two dimensions are dimensions we are not going to be joking with we will make sure anything we do there is acceptable and measures up anywhere in the world". He concluded.
On his part, the Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Engr Mike Eraye, opined that the Rice Seeds and Seedlings Factory is a masterpiece with agro-tourist potential and efficient waste management process and system. According to him, 'the thinking here is complete: you can see the beauty: we are designing this industrial area not just as an industrial production centre but as an agro-tourist centre. You can see the beauty we are creating out of it.
'The flood control, the waste management. There is a waste processing section that will be attached to the virgin Island across the hill, that is as new facility that will accommodate what we take from here.
'Already, a liquid waste is draining towards the north. Here is an eco-friendly design and system. Each factory will be taken individually because the nature waste generated by the production process is dependent on the nature of waste you are producing.
'The Ministry of Environment is working closely with every unit of the factory that is present here. Whether it's the pharmaceutical factory, garment garment factory, or the Rice Seeds factory. We are putting thinking together to manage this.'
The Commissioner for Education, Mr Goddy Etta, noted that Gov Ayade's educational policies has seen to the improvement of education in the state against the deplorable condition he met it. He particularly made reference to the fact that there was sabotage in the system which both the governor and the deputy governor have checked.
His words, 'For you to know whether what he is saying has any meaning is to know where we were before and where we are now and compare: While the previous administration did very well, Gov Ayade met a standard of education that was very low, there was sabotage in the previous previous administration.
'But the governor being a professor and the deputy governor being a professor too, they were able to check that sabotage within the system, and that is why we were able to move from number 27 position to number 20 in WAEC, and from 29 to number 2 in NECO. Even in Primary education we have moved, our children are doing competitive well.
'Gov Ayade has established the British-Canadian model school in Obudu, he has started building the Teacher Continuous Training City in Biase, he has just granted and released money for scholarship.'
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the Rice Seeds and Seedlings Factory in Calabar, Cross River capital on Tuesday 26 June. It was historic.
Nyok
Is the Blogger-in-Chief, Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NegroidHaven
