Anambra Govt sets Machineries in Motion for Distribution of Over One Million Economic Tree Seedlings
Kenechukwu Ofomah | Awka
Anambra State Government has set up committees to ensure effective distribution of no fewer than one million combinations of seedlings to potential beneficiaries across the state.
This was the outcome of a one-day consultative meeting organized by the State Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters with key stakeholders held at the Ministry’s Conference Hall.
Our correspondent gathered that the meeting was centred on modalities for the year 2024 distribution of economic trees/ seedlings, which comprised 700,000 oil palm seedlings, 200,000 breadfruit seedlings, 50,000 Oji Igbo (Kola nut), 50,000 Akiilu (Bitter Kola) and 40,000 Pawpaw.
The meeting brought together a group of stakeholders including representatives from Presidents General, Heads of Agriculture Departments, Agric Extension Workers, APGA Party Chairmen, Solution Data Collectors, Women and Youth Leaders.
Speaking during the event, the State Commissioner For Agriculture, Dr Forster Ihejiofor, said the gathering served as an opportunity to brief stakeholders on mapped-out plans ahead of the distribution exercise.
He said the government targets between 130,000 to 280,000 beneficiaries from the exercise slated to commence on Thursday, 25th June, adding that Governor Chukwuma Soludo was committed to using the agro agenda to lift people out of poverty.
The Commissioner said the government had procured the seedlings for distribution through already created five regional collection centres at Otuocha-Zone A, Awka–Zone B, Ajalli-Zone C, Ogidi–Zone D as well as Ozubulu–Zone E.
While urging all stakeholders to be drivers of the project by playing a supervisory role in line with the solution transformative agricultural journey, he explained that the seedlings must be planted and nurtured with organic enhancers.
Contributing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, further explained that committees had been set up comprising key stakeholders to oversee the exercise at Distribution Centres, Ward and Village levels.
He added that the committee members including Transition Committee Chairmen, Local Government Party Chairmen, Agric Extension Workers, Ward Party Chairmen, Youth and Women Leaders are to ensure effective distribution.
He noted that each beneficiary would receive a minimum of five and a maximum of eight seedlings irrespective of combination, pointing out that those already profiled would be considered before others.
Dr Obiogbolu made it clear that the economic trees were procured for Anambra people, irrespective of party affiliations, but quickly added that APGA as a party, was merely driving the process for accountability sake.
In a remark, the Permanent Secretary, Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Ifeyinwa Uzoka, called for a concerted effort to ensure the successful implementation of the exercise.
She urged agricultural extension workers to offer the needed technical support services to the beneficiaries to guarantee the survival of the economic trees.
Some of the participants including Hon Cyril Nwobu, APGA Party Chairman, Orumba North and Hon Alloy Nwafor lauded the state government for the agricultural intervention programme and assured of their contribution to facilitate successful implementation of the exercise.
Other participants contributed and expressed their concerns which the Commissioner and the Special Adviser addressed accordingly.
