Governor Alex Otti has said the Abia State Government is ready to leverage the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industrial Development Initiative to strengthen value addition, expand agro-processing, and grow the state’s economy.
Otti stated this while receiving a delegation from the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industrial Development Initiative, led by its Director, Felix Charles, at the Government House in Umuahia.
The governor said the initiative aligns with his administration’s economic development agenda and assured the delegation that his team was prepared to work closely with the organisation to maximise the opportunities available through the programme.
“We are already looking forward to taking advantage of this,” Otti said.
“I believe that as you sit down with my team, we will begin to unveil the details and know how to work with you to take full advantage of this initiative that you brought. One thing I can assure you is that my team is very ready,” he added.
Otti explained that many of the objectives outlined by the initiative were already reflected in his administration’s development plans and campaign promises.
“If you have a look at our manifesto and my promise to our people here, you will find that a lot of the things that NAADI targets to achieve have been documented in the manifesto.
“So, I want to thank you very much for your visit and thank you for considering us as a beneficiary,” the governor stated.
He stressed that economic growth cannot be sustained through the export or sale of raw agricultural commodities alone, noting that processing and industrialisation remain critical to increasing value, creating jobs, and boosting internally generated revenue.
According to him, Abia State has strong agricultural and industrial potential in sectors including palm oil, cassava, cocoa, cashew nuts, rubber, leather works, and fabrics, but warned that these resources would continue to generate limited economic value without adequate processing and industrial development.
Earlier, Charles described NAADI as a Federal Government-backed initiative focused on promoting agricultural participation, strengthening agro-processing value chains, and improving access to international markets for Nigerian agricultural products.
He disclosed that the initiative had already been launched in eight states, adding that Abia would become the ninth state to domesticate and implement the programme.
Charles also commended the developmental projects being executed by the Otti administration and assured the state government of the organisation’s commitment to partnership and collaboration.
According to him, Abia State stands to benefit from key pillars of the initiative, including support for agribusiness development, improved market access, capacity building, and efforts to address financing challenges affecting agricultural enterprises and processors.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu, Chief of Staff Caleb Ajagba, Commissioner for Trade and Commerce Salome Obiukwu, Special Adviser on Trade and Commerce Nwaka Inem, and other senior government officials.
Source: Punch
