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| Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Esq. Executive Governor of Enugu state |
In his words, Steve Johnson said, " If you look at history, innovation doesn't come just from giving people incentives; it comes from creating environment where ideas can connect." Events over the past few weeks in Enugu State recorded some level of engagement towards creating enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
One of the key areas of concern is agriculture where the state has a comparative advantage. For years now, post harvest waste of agricultural products and near absence of processing facility have made food sufficiency in Enugu State a tall order. Thus, in every farming season, Amoli Pineapple, Obollo-afor banana and Udi cashew are wasted for lack of storage facilities.
The state governor, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, appears ready to change the narrative through his usual distruptive and innovative approach. This is as attested by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, when he said in a recent interview with the Urban Radio Enugu that, "Dr Peter Mbah has great ideas on how to bring investors around the table." From the level of engagement with diaspora potential investors, Enugu State under Dr Peter Mbah's watch may finally emerge as one of the states where agro-business will be made attractive to the youth in a very short while.
For instance, the governor confirmed to some officials from the Federal Budget Office that Enugu State will earmark 10,000 hectares of land to boost cassava production for export and the Enugu State Agricultural Development Program (ENADEP) in readiness to actualize the government lofty plans have also embarked on revalidation and registration of cassava farmers in the state. To crown it all, SKY -Business Solution has equally agreed to partner and collaborate with the state government for the creation of Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW) in Enugu. In other words, Exporters will no longer travel to Lagos with their goods for inspection and certification, before export. Every logistics for export will be facilitated here in the state.
Again, in support of the state government's efforts to grow the economy through agriculture, the Executive Chairman of Nkanu East Local Government, Hon Sydney Okechukwu Edeh, last week, procured three (3) tractors; took a supply of certified seedlings which include improved cassava stems, maize, rice, Malaysia palm and pepper for commercial agriculture in the council. Report had it that all the youths trained last year at the CSS Farms Keffi, Nasarawa State, will be engaged as pilot extension workers. The idea according to the chairman is to reduce unemployment and youth restiveness.
No doubt, if stakeholders in Enugu State work towards sustaining the existing peace in the state, there's every assurance that Investors will return to the coal city to ply their trade.
Without mincing words, Ndi Enugu will certainly be happy to see Enugu rice, Nsukka pepper, branded Enugu cassava llour and chips being exported in years to come.
Above all, if the speed at which the governor is tottling his policy gear is anything to go by, the thousands of hectares of fertile land lying fallow in Nkerefi, Uzo-uwani, Aninri and Ubahu would soon have regular visit of ploughing machines and bulldozers to pave way for mechanized farm clusters.
In most developing nations, agro- business is key to their economic growth and a major employer of labour. Today, Malaysia has gone ahead to develop as many as 30 products from oil palm, including body lotion,ice cream and bleached palm oil among others.
All said, with the return of Engr Mike Ogbuekwe and his team to the Ministry of Agriculture, Enugu State will surely replicate the Malaysia palm oil feat in Nigeria.
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