Why agric sector is functional –Wike

Why agric sector  is functional –Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom  Wike,  has stated that the nation’s agriculture  sector is functional because of the background  of  the Ministers  of Agriculture  who were key members of the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP) before defecting to the ruling party,  All Progressives Congress (APC).

Declaring  open the 42nd Regular Meeting  of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development, Governor Wike  said the foresight and national view being exhibited by Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh  and Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri  proved that they imbibed the culture  of  service  while they were PDP members.

“Agriculture is working because they have good ministers from a sound background.  The minister of Agriculture  was a former national chairman of PDP, while the minister of state for Agriculture was a senator under the PDP.  Their background  has helped them.

“You can see the kind of products  that PDP has. We have  sent them on sabbatical to help other people.  When children are productive, you ask who are their  parents?

“We have products who received  good upbringing.  Their parents, the PDP, gave them quality  parenting.”

On the development of agriculture  in Rivers State, Governor Wike said  the state government would take full advantage of the Federal Government agriculture initiatives including the commercial agricultural  credit scheme  and the Anchor Borrowers programme.

He said his administration  would galvanise the state into becoming a major player in the agriculture sector,  stressing that his administration  would  review its agricultural  policy  for the development of the sector.

“In Rivers State, government has, over the years, channelled enormous public funds into the development of agriculture without measurable outcomes.

“For this reason, we have decided to review our agricultural policies and programmes to ensure that efforts, funds and inputs are not wasted for the sake of political expediency, as it has been the case the past.

Meanwhile,  the state House of Assembly has given kudos to Governor Wike,  for his commitment in developing infrastructure in the education sector.

The Assembly also commended the Commissioner for Education, Professor Kaniye Ebeku, for  keying into  Governor Wike’s vision to give education a priority.

Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Farah Dagogo, made the commendation when members of the committee visited the ministry in the discharge of their constitutional oversight function.

Responding, Ebeku, thanked the committee for the visit and outlined the achievements recorded by the ministry since the current administration came to power.

At the end of an interactive session, the commissioner took the committee to Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta, which is one of the pilot schools the governor has positioned to return to full boarding status in the coming academic year.