{"id":8167,"date":"2013-08-11T20:39:55","date_gmt":"2013-08-11T20:39:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/delta-plans-for-future-without-oil\/"},"modified":"2013-08-11T20:39:55","modified_gmt":"2013-08-11T20:39:55","slug":"delta-plans-for-future-without-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/delta-plans-for-future-without-oil\/","title":{"rendered":"Delta plans for future without oil"},"content":{"rendered":"
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…High quality rice produced in the state would flood the market soon<\/strong><\/p>\n

DETERMINED to realise its ambition of Delta Beyond Oil, the state government is to embark on technological innovations in agriculture and agro-business.<\/p>\n

  The drive was again underlined by Commerce and Industry Commissioner, Kingsley Emuwhile, speaking to reporters on the forthcoming Delta Trade Fair 2013 in Asaba recently. It is being organised by the Delta State Association of Chambers for Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (DACCIMA).<\/p>\n

  He explained that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry would soon establish 10 industries which include six cassava mills and four fish field mills across the state as the government was seriously looking at other alternative sources of development apart from oil.<\/p>\n

  He assured the general public that expectations were high for the fair which holds in October at Osubi, near Warri and expected to showcase more innovations and creativity of the rich human resource of Deltans to the world. <\/p>\n

  The commissioner said: \u201cThe government will also give priority attention to aquaculture to grow fish for the state. We are advantaged in this business because Delta State accounts for 60 per cent land and 40 per cent river. Besides, there are other new areas of products to be showcase in the trade fair.\u201d<\/p>\n

  Information Commissioner, Chike Ogeah, said the Emmanuel Uduaghan administration would not fail in actualising the dream of establishing the state industrially and meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people through the governor\u2019s three-point agenda anchored on peace and security, human capital and infrastructural development.<\/p>\n

  The Economic Adviser to the Governor, Chief Afam Abiago, said the fair would identify value for products and the dream of making Delta State the investors\u2019 preferred destination.<\/p>\n

  President of DACCIMA, Chief Uju Udeme, pledged that the association and the supporting ministry were striving to give Deltans a befitting fair.<\/p>\n

  Delta State Trade Consultant, Chief Austine Ezagbo, called on the private sector to partner with the government on fair in order to add value to the  human capital development programme of the state government. <\/p>\n

Govt to flood market with locally produced rice<\/strong><\/p>\n

  The old Midwestern and later Bendel State was famous for locally produced rice. It was then popularly called Ekpoma rice. Like the fate suffered by other agricultural products, oil wealth made Nigeria to shift from focus on local production to importation.<\/p>\n

  However, in furtherance of its \u2018Delta Beyond Oil\u2019 vision, the Governor Uduaghan administration has promised that high quality rice produced in the state would flood the market in the next six months. Delta State was a part of the old Bendel.<\/p>\n

Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissioner, Misan Ukubeyinje, who disclosed this at Ebu in Oshimili North Local Government Area, recently said that the government has been deploying more resources and efforts towards harnessing the state\u2019s agricultural potential.<\/p>\n

 \u2018Delta Beyond Oil\u2019 vision is Dr. Uduaghan\u2019s strategy to utilise revenue from petroleum to diversify the economy to ensure that in its absence, the state will remain self-sufficient and be able to cater for the needs of its people.<\/p>\n

 Ukubeyinje, who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Solomon Ashe Sajere, told Ebu people that their community was selected alongside two other sites in Central and South Senatorial districts of the state for the mass production of rice. According to him, ecological factors like climate, landscape, fertility of land and optimum supply of water have made government to choose such places for the rice production project.<\/p>\n

 He assured the community and Rice Growers Association (RGA) that government would continue to provide the enabling environment and equipment as well as early maturing and highest yielding seedlings to guarantee maximum production.<\/p>\n

  Ukubeyinje said that the government would equally supervise the project to ensure that standards are maintained in terms of production processes and produce handling in each of the farms.<\/p>\n

 Responding on behalf of the Ebu, His Royal Highness, the Regent, Chief Sunday Ofune, and his Ekpechor community counterpart, Chief Solomon Achije, the Akpala of Ekpechor assured the government of their willingness and cooperation to actualise the project in their community.<\/p>\n

  The commissioner had remarked earlier that Ewu and Jakpa in Ughelli North and Warri North local government area respectively had also been chosen for the same purpose.<\/p>\n

 Apart from oil, Delta State is blessed with agricultural and other mineral resources. About 60 per cent of Deltans are engaged in agriculture and the government is already expanding the agriculture value chain to ensure that it moves to processing and manufacturing levels, the commissioner said.<\/p>\n

  Also, in harnessing the agricultural and other mineral and human resources for the people\u2019s benefit, the government is utilising Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and industrial clusters model. There is   equally the utilisation of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, engaging in institutional reforms, capacity building, vocational skill training as well as support schemes to students among others, he added.<\/p>\n

   To boost morale of security personnel<\/strong><\/p>\n

  And in pursuit of its agenda of safeguarding lives and property, the government is to strengthen the confidence of security personnel by making available to them ballistic vests and ceramic helmets.<\/p>\n

  In fact, it has ordered about 2500 pieces of the vests and 2000 pieces of ballistic ceramic helmets. <\/p>\n

  The vests and helmets will help in boosting the morale of security personnel in reducing the rate of crime.<\/p>\n

  Speaking on the security situation in the state, Ogeah said: \u201cAs we speak, security in Delta State is at optimum level with the environment very clement for businesses and individuals to operate. Time was when kidnapping and other violent crimes got quite disturbing. But His Excellency, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, CON embarked on a concerted programme to improve security.<\/p>\n

  \u201cWe cannot readily put a figure on the cost of providing security in the state as it is an exercise that keeps rolling. Besides, I think it is more wholesome to imagine the absence of a secure environment for businesses to thrive. The government is prepared to commit requisite resources to the provision of security in the state. The real cost of security, for me, is the cost of absence of security for people to live safely.\u201d <\/p>\n

  The state government has been boosting the capability and confidence of security personnel. Earlier in the year, Uduaghan, under the Delta State Government Special Security Patrol initiative, handed over 30 Toyota Hilux vans to the Police<\/p>\n

  The initiative is part of measures to tackle crimes like kidnapping and armed robbery.<\/p>\n

  Handing over the vehicles to the police, Dr. Uduaghan noted that the rate of kidnapping was dropping in the state and promised to continue to intensify efforts towards providing adequate security.<\/p>\n

  He said he would provide a safe haven for investors and guarantee peace and security so that prospective investors would operate in a conducive atmosphere.<\/p>\n

  He explained that the vehicles have been assigned to different routes across the state to ensure that all areas in the state were adequately monitored and secured.<\/p>\n

  He commended local government chairmen for supporting his administration\u2019s efforts especially for assisting security operatives to maintain peace and security.<\/p>\n

  The governor also commended security operatives for their efforts in reducing crime, especially kidnapping which he said had reduced significantly.<\/p>\n

  Receiving the vehicles, the state Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, warned criminals to turn a new leaf because his men would get them if they failed to heed his warning.<\/p>\n

 He lauded Uduaghan for providing the vehicles and assured that they would be properly utilised to combat crime.<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: Guardian Newspaper<\/p>\n

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