GOVERNOR OKEZIE VICTOR IKPEAZU AND THE MAKING OF AN AGRO-BASED STATE ECONOMY: AN UPDATE

By Kingsley Maduforo
The socio-economic development and the consequent economic growth of Abia State is strongly linked to the level of growth in the agricultural sector. Lack of adequate improvement in the agricultural sector of our country’s economy is one of the major factors hampering our development. The implementation of policies that influence agricultural growth is of crucial significance to socio-economic progress and must be considered at every stage of the pursuit of national development. Agro-business van can effectively drive the socio-economic development of any country or state even in the absence of crude oil.
Before the discovery of crude oil, agriculture was the economic backbone of the Nigerian nation. We were richly blessed ‘agriculturally’, to the extent we exported agricultural produce to other countries. However, the crude oil trade and the enormous revenue it generates is responsible for our flagrant disregard of the potential of agriculture and the result is the current economic recession. And it is equally through agriculture that we can escape this meltdown in our economy. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State being aware of this escape route is busy diversifying into, and improving, the agricultural sector of the state.
Abia State, with a land mass of 5.835sqkm and a population of about 2.8 million, is richly blessed with both natural and human resources and is capable of producing what can sustain it from agriculture even with relying on oil or federal government allocation. In view of this has Gov. Ikpeazu actively engaged and supported agricultural activities especially in the area of mechanized farming of cassava, rice and oil palm in line with federal government programmes and Abia State’s areas of natural advantage.
In addition to the creation of a commodity market system, the government of Dr Ikpeazu has supported small-scale farmers through organized cooperatives, agricultural extension services and partnership with foreign donor agencies and development finance institutions. The Governor has also procured FG fund targeted at the agricultural areas the State wants to focus on and has also encouraged large-scale farmers to go ahead and invest. The Return to Farming and Women in Fish Farming initiatives of the Governor are meant to set up farmers’ cooperative societies for youths and women which will help drive key government policies as regards agriculture. The government through these initiatives makes land, finance and training accessible to farmers. The vision is to explore agro-economy as a support base for the Abia economy.
Furthermore, to make for easy transportation of agricultural produce, the present administration of Gov. Ikpeazu has made significant effort and progress in improving the condition of roads in Abia State. His bulldozer, excavator and other earth-moving equipment have touched every nook and cranny of the three senatorial zones of the State; this is evident in the number of roads that have been constructed and those being constructed. At the moment, over 80 roads are under construction while that of 30 others have been completed. Gov. Ikpeazu is actually on the speed lane towards fixing all the dilapidated roads especially in Aba, the commercial hub of the State because neglecting to build Aba will definitely hamper the socio-economic growth and development of Abia State. Indeed, when the construction of all the awarded roads is completed, and in due time, it will translate to huge long term benefits.
Of course, the roads that have been constructed in the State, especially in Aba, have been of immense benefit to Abians in terms of enabling trade and employment in both urban and rural areas because good roads facilitate easy movement of goods and services across borders and sectors such as tourism, education, health and agriculture among others.
Indeed it is a fact that adequate road infrastructure plays a key role in enabling the agro-based economy of the State of Abia and it is through an agro-based economy that Gov. Ikpeazu intends to launch Abia into one of the most developed states in Nigeria.
Kingsley Maduforo who is a Media Analyst writes from Umuahia.