By Teddy Nwanunobi
Abuja (Sundiata Post) — Determined to see that his administration’s “Back To Land For Agriculture” policy succeeds, the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has ordered political appointees and schools in the State’s school system to own farms.
The “Back To Land For Agriculture” policy, according to an emailed statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, is designed to launch the State and her people back to agriculture.
Okorocha, who added that the State has no better option at the moment than to fully engage in agriculture, spoke when a group of traditional rulers from the State, operating under the aegis of the Traditional Rulers in Agriculture, paid him courtesy call at his residence, recently.
He said that civil servants in the State have also been encouraged to get deeply involved in the State’s Back to Land for Agriculture Programme.
Accordingly, he explaining that it was what the government intended to achieve when it came up with the policy that would enable civil servants in the State work in their offices from Monday to Wednesday of every week, and use Thursday and Friday to farm.
“The idea of Traditional Rulers in Imo State coming together to spearhead the fight against recession, through agriculture, is most welcome. This is in tune with the Rescue Mission Policy statement of Back to Land for Agriculture, which is aimed at boosting the agro-based sector of our economy and thank God, the traditional rulers are taking the initiative to the grassroots.
“The royal fathers, as a body, are in a better position to meet with the Minister for Agriculture, and could access loan of up to N2 billion from the Federal Government for this purpose. What the government is emphasising is that everybody must go back to the farms to which end the government has gazetted (three) days of work for Civil Servants while (two) days would be for agriculture. All government appointees, civil servants, schools must possess farms.
“The ‘Ikuona Nkwu’ Project would be revisited by the Royal Fathers in Agriculture working together with the Community Government Councils (CGC) for synergy and unity of purpose. Agricultural groups like the Clergy in Agriculture, Civil Servants in Agriculture, Youths in Agriculture, Women in Agriculture, Students in Agriculture etc, could be formed to boost the Back to Land Programme.
“I have approved the farmers’ market in the (three) zones of the State – Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe, which you will build yourselves. A land collection committee will also be formed to see about the location of available farmlands around the State to be harvested for agriculture. You must do your road shows having agric tools to buttress our concern,” Okorocha said.
Leader of the group, HRH Eze Chidume Okoro, in his speech, told the governor that they had ventured into agriculture as a group to show the people of the State in general, and their respective subjects in particular that agriculture is the way to go at the moment.
Okoro added that they have acquired several hectares of lands in various parts of the State for farming purposes, and would like the governor to visit such areas.
Okoro said that the only thing they could do to encourage the government in its Back to Land for Agriculture policy is to get deeply involved in farming, and to also show good examples to the indigenes of the State.
He stressed that, if the government’s initiative pays off at the end of the day, the State will not only be boosting of food sufficiency, but would also be talking about fat internally generated revenue.
The traditional ruler encouraged the state government to intensify the campaign on Back to Land for Agriculture so that all hands would be on deck.