Key In To Benefit From Government, Ukah Urges Anglicans
Members of the Asaba Diocese (Anglican Communion) have been urged to key into the prosperity for all Deltans agenda of the Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration in Delta State in order to benefit from the SMART Agenda of the government.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, made the call recently while delivering a paper to mark the 40th anniversary of the creation of Asaba Diocese.
The Commissioner stated that some persons are missing out on the many platforms provided by the government to empower Deltans as such persons lack the needed information hence the need to enlighten the members.
Speaking on the different platforms, Mr. Ukah stated that the governor, among others, repositioned the agricultural sector since the state can boast of major agricultural products like rubber, oil palm, rice, yam, cassava, potato, tomato and fish.
Among these, the government is laying more emphasis on three key areas for value chain development. They include oil palm, cassava and aquaculture, while also encouraging cultivation of other crops such as tomato and rice.
The Commissioner revealed that as part of deliberate effort of the government to focus on agriculture, the state is planning to establish centralized geographical area for agro–processing, agribusiness, marketing and value adding activities supported by a dedicated concentration of infrastructural facilities and amenities. The initiative, he said, has reached advanced stage as Ogwashi Uku was chosen for the pilot project which is estimated to cost 30 million US Dollars.
Mr. Ukah stated that other areas of achievements include distribution of 220,000 Improved oil palm seedlings to farmers for enhanced yields, institution of two rice mills in Obior and Ikweghu – Agbarha, institution of two cluster fish farms in Mbiri in Ika North East and Ewulu in Aniocha South Local government areas, establishment of a cane rat cutter (Grass Cutter) and goat multiplication centre at ADP Ibusa, and rehabilitating fisheries laboratories in Warri,
He therefore urged the parishioners, especially the youths, to key into the different programmes of the government aimed at empowering all in order to achieve the prosperity of all Deltans mantra of the Okowa-led administration.
In his remarks, the Bishop of Asaba Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Justus Mogekwu, commended the state government for all it has been doing to empower Deltans and appealed to the government to assist schools that were returned to the Missions since it has not been easy to run the schools from the time they were returned.