BUSINESSDAY, 24 APRIL, 2012

Business & Economic Outlook

ACROSS THE STATES Edo and its agric transformation

ag~hda

In a bid to diversify the economy of the stat., the Edo 5tate government is plann ing to optimise key sources of eco nomic growth by encouraging produdion espedally Agribusiness, writes IORI5 UMAR MOMOH

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IlllJic:ulrwalmech· _""~_food . ol miao- aedh

11,e state government has in the last three-and- half years, embarked on human and capital-oriented programme and policies geared towa rd transfornling agricultural sector in the stale. ll1ese include meeting its counterpari funding to loca l and international intervention agencies in the development of agriculture.

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rul' ..... ~b='l' ~,d reputation in which the

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oCNigeriawhichnowoom.

EdoandDehaStates

IiU: od1CI" lhree regions oC ~ mumry dYIindIed ilIIowing !he adYeru al 011 expknDon in tXJnl[[)ffdaI q.IIIIllitie$ in Ihe 1910's..

The II@JioJlturaIseaorindleoountty !hen cnmtty as v.dI as !he rq90n prior 10 oil rontthued about 80 percenJ to the nation's iRIgn exchl1l~ and Gross OOI:neSIiI: Produas (GOP).

II was a majo£~olIabour.

Sadly. OIII!r the years, numerous policies and programmes bmJIared r;eared KM'aIds rM.'ingthesecmt ~

poducdcrIr

anfmtIon. e:

.,analI·JCa~

and

IltJ"O'l8 ~ schooIleaw!n rose lIStronomicaDyin n:a:nt)UlSaaoss the mwuryasaresultolpopulariooezplosion. d1eneed 10 ~ .ncS«1OCin!he oounuy haYe mkl!n !he fImI bJmer in

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In line wilh this priority, AdaIlls Oshionlho&e. on assuming the maruJe olleaderWpasGcM!morofEdoStare

November 12,2008 disclosed his delermInaIioo 10 fWu pa.ety. WleI1lpk:r,menI.aime, increaselhe6nandal stan.IS of the sway from (M!" depen deoceU1mxuhlyalloc3donsfromthe

rederatIoogoyernrnen.amongotben.

G<>omo<o.IUomhoIe"""""",,,

that &10 Scatewould be able 10 feed Its dtizcnsand theentirecnuut)'gIYen lIS

Iocadon in a ~ bell cirenne soil and good wmlbcr aIpiIbIe oC atSlainingan ~reYCJUion

Edo 5laIe with a poIkbl t\du!m

fromthe~regionlOMidwesaem

.........."'_.mJlIJOO to Bendel mle and now Edo has a

in~11 . 11 is~ in

the North by

.... """""""""'"

and gram

'rill! donor ~ndes and

-"'--

!beprivate'lIlbbr-the~lteni

of the seaoollV'OCUlftlJeOt of IradOfS andar:tniOjef,,~a!ihili&om

prDI1IrefTJeI.tiienilizers.~-

""""""' " UdlhonidJoj Rubber

ing the caPKiry of ADp, ~la.l1ling of PlantaDoo. 10 name bul8lbof.

Abdul Oroh.. pointed out !hal the .Rale ~ ,nlenllw lOr in thr past yean: disbumcd 0YI!r NI.5 billioo 10 empower famlm in the saale as wei capacity building 10 various farmer groups acP)SJ the three .&en9lorial

.......

He AId ltv: swn ci Nl bWlon was In 2011 dislwsed 10 7.!0 conullodily farming COGptndYe sodedes ID help ~:::;.,~ fa::J Jl4'Jtri;-- ~ In'qxove theli\'cscianlMJageol8.640 ~n~~ I2nns fumilIp 1.11 the state while OYer ~ 80Xl of as&qned Ii5tii:lers \\oe'e jXOandanddiKrilllled mliunmam:. !he state. 3D I~ SltJiidb2'rata The applk;.!don ol ~ bf the _ _...t_ rarmers nas re5Uhed In lncreaJed ilseccoomy, FdoSlale~I16IU in production M'Jich has broogin about lis 5Il"IIle8k: plan which also comprises higher [naome 10 the rannen; and amsequenLy mpnMd Randard Jiv~atekryliUlla$of«DnOmic growth by enCOW1l&in8; production Ing. This Is uned • ensa.D1g the stale retains illead 15 the bx1 basket in the its mt ~ ~ IrM5tmena SmJIb-Sowh UJrJe~ ilsdr.

Summit with the !heme, .1\ansbm. !he only SIal! In the lD(Je that has met log ... Mlswe- aimed .seeIrdI~poII­ his 2I:m. 2010 dl1d 2011 BIDAMA III counterpart fund obligation. deslD~pnxJuaMtyVldleRateAttordlllg to the Stale gDW!mor Abdul Oroh. spea1.ing 00 the summit said hs main oo;ecdves 10 en- during the f~ off cl this years 2012 6v:m~sea.'iOI\Ul8intheswe.lheSllW! gage panidpanlS who will lnc1.ude panmenlpddNlm.lli5.440.00mll5mkehoIden; In the ~ sectof; represeruadvt::s from unMfiilies and dJat:thesumoNllli2.l6.l23.OOmiIIion basmhrbeenJisbursednIOelIlpOWel" Institutions, Inlemational orpntza. dons and NGOson lhe ec:oncmicand 280 FBdama ~ IJtlUPf, 51 Fadama agriwIll.U8lso:ategyoClheOshiomhoie a9SOdaIion5 and61 wlnerablelVOUP' Including VlI~w" youths and the "" .dmln"""don.

Kosi SIa&e, hi die Saud! byOdta. in the

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West by Ondo and In Ihe EasI by KogI

The stare has a tomIland mass or 19.794 square Idlomeu:Is, out oCwhIch 1.L56.9J6 hectare51sAr.lbAe)and sullaI::JIr: 10 !he uopicaI SiIYaIlnah climate region. beea0p5584.56beaaresand arab6e whivation Is J82..I711 hec:ures.

II is also endowed with ftood plains rin1XXl hecIam; olin ~ DushI axis, !he Oisc/Ovia ~ the 0I'hi0mnw0n RlYer and seYtra! 1akes and m- bow Iukea.

II bas abundalu tnIand water bodIes,fJoodplalns,wetbndsandhighpo-

I

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"""'"'...t~_ Imd and water' resoum:5 wtUdJ are

tisI..aodlM:su:d&iIod.andHbtry.

Edo Siale Is the second largest pmduc:er 01 rubber and oil palm. sbIh IargesI: produc.erol ax:oa. ninth In rice produaion and 16th in Cassava In Nigeria whBelr. is the ~ produI:zr of the Soutb- South regiro. ~ pan cl priority 10 Ir.In5bm Ihe agricuIrure JeaOr and aU other ~ 6doStlde~ had in the past dtree and balf ~ roosmteted ao.oer 600 ldIomcIres ci road aatIISl!i the Ihree seoau:xiaI di.soias of Ihe~ and OUI wtum abow. 300 of the road were In Ihe nuaI areas ~95 pen:enI cilhe

am:;JW'"

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SociaIl:usicamenilies.a.l::lt5mod· em bl!aidl cue ~ pcxabIe watet; _ ._ _ modem_-

ing facililie5 ilITIOf18 ocbeB b;nie been c:onsttuaed and renovated In mosl COIllIIUlides aaoss die 1!l2 wards 01 Ihe 18 local £(M:fnmeru areas in the state 10 stunulate economic actMtIes asv.dl as ~ habitablrand IIIIIaI::Ihe Ul the people and poo:ruiaI

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GMng an Insight on goyenutJefIl

premjumOllIn~lCrnonin&a5mJc.

turaI deYeIopmeot, Abdul Oroh. &10

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_.._"'""'-- _ As~andaimetaces

andfisbemJen, ~ mm-

Include flIdUlpion of ta:hnical akb

poIidcaIv-iJl.,implemM:1hem

~~ .... impIemenwIondthoseJXOtJalIUTleS.

If

~~~ Other obJtcdveJi or the budget

""""" """"'"' ""'" """"" ...... ""',,""'''' aodIQI" ..... """'.-."'''''''''

with !he responsibilil)' 10 cany 01.11 IDe

mm

Other~are.tDdnJwoolhe

rich experience or various poIlcy makers In ordertoalU1lCl more Inw!s!mml

In!he~secttcilheeconomy

State commissioner ror Agriculrure and NannI RI!sclurcr. Rid that gM!o the~1ocWon oClhemsrelD the nation and In twdruIar Ul die SouthSooth geo-polirical -zone In Nigeria, road dIMllopmeUi remains aidcalm ...t _ _ aimula!ing the growth of oommera!

Lbr: has ac,,-__ .....,....,.Dondo IUtIe gco.oemment

also

~rigslD~aaossthe

srate ID ~ drinIcabIe and healthy

w.uer b the people. In 2DII a !OUI 01 18 mmmunitles were provide with

borehoIeswtth theaiddlherigsMlidJ -axnpIlmorued by ..... _by SI3le offia: of MIllennIum Develop.

0JeIlI Goab(MOC.s~ Thisymr48 new

watI!r!iChmJ£shiM:beenftlmlllkedbr aJn5U'UCIiIxJ aaoss!he SIBle,- he said

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llesaidtheseandamongodw:nin....,~

and sdll putling In pIaa!: 10 sdmulale emnomIc growth In an seaor as ,od

and am!e an lM!IlLII!: 10 highlight and

_

............. ..........."proI-

fer daions, and estabIisb plans and partntnhIp required b a SlISIllln3bIe

~~inlhesmte.

F.do stale govemmenllw In the Ihree and halfyeaB. embatted OIl hu·

"'" '"""" """"'"

...t ~_ _ """"'"""",,",,,.......".,..

inB agriculnual sector in the Slale.

Theseindude~itsaunerpan iJndin8101omI~.lnrer· \6Won1ll(J:l1de51n!he~aI

...."......

The:seprogrammesh/MenIwlced In .... _ ...tponldporlon

or more local fanners in agrlcultural profession. Among these interven· doniSI B(J!ndes BR: FADAMA. RIJf1N. lW),and ECO\\'"AS-FundAa;rJenued

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Alsq, thesumolNl..!l29.3B3.2S4b11· IIoohassinrelncepdon theadmlni5lrn· lion aIIoatted III the3(pirulruml serux-

.... "' "'-.""""""'" """"

1be event )wtuch was under the lFADJroNINTIOCCanrn.mityBa!ied NaruraI ResllulCe Manat:ement Propamme (OVO:RMP), saw agricuhwal in Z7 axnmunh" beoefiued &orn the sumofNlal mil-

""""'"" """I"

bdistusedl'ldJestatr:gcM:mlIlI!I1l.

-mfwthmllK:eaCthe~er·

buofdds adntlniolaalion lOenl1t'ndl SUSlaInablc in frasttucnuaJ deveJopmeminrural areasandstrengthen ixld _ in ............. """"""'" hasl'ad1it3u:dtbeiJnnGlDlb9aop1 _ " " , . . in ... Z 7 _ communllieL The ertterprise groups will in die fuJI quat\el"ol2012 be supporting the w1mruioo ci 109 heaares of cassava. 25 heCIare5 of rice, 35 heanres of ~plantafn InterttOp, 16 hectares cI pIanmin. 30 bectrues 01 pineapple. 48 I~ ol ware yam.

6 hectares of ,M! palm. 5 hectares ol pawpiMI. 1 hectare of seed yam and I unit 01 cass...va .~ mill a! !he cost ofN'782 rr-.dJion.

Conbnued on pare 3J

Tuesday 24

Edo and its aglic...

union IeadmcmduCledlheproa!Sil5 IeadlngIO the award ofronnasofthe SC\m roadswbhin the rnati.a, wiltxu anylntcrlerencefrornthe~

IheSlJCXll!SSfuJcontractont-mmpIeted eanh ~ on the seven roads "'" they_ ..... - In " ' _

before the rniM, ir only they Cuukl be mobilized further'; he added. l'efhaps. one aspect of the SUlle', f(.'OllOm), for which the ~t loses sleep Is the comatose state of some indust:rie5 which. under nonnaI drcumsmnces. would have provided jobs lOr die citI:rens and aI!io mntributedlOthestale'SlnlemaDy~

reverue.PromInentIl~lheseailq

uKlu.mies ~ the Modem Cer.unics Industries Umlted owned by UMed Clergy and Laity (UCL) lno,attnents Umlted, and the Golden Guinea Brewt!rles Um1ted. both ofwhidl 'M!Ie

,

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vatisatk:w\, "'as whollyowned and fully sub9aibedlObytheAbiaState~­

men and that pan of the ~

How Abia promotes economic growth through industrial, commercial development Worried about the dwindling fortunes of commerce and industry and the co matose nate of some industrial concerns in its domain , Abia State gove rnment has swung into action intent on creating the enabling environment to breathe nelN life into dying busi ness enterprises and resuscitate ailing industries, writes CHUKA UROKO. In Urnuahla main n.rum withln the ,mr IOthe I'IeWrnad:et. lhe mmmissionet who spoke in an inleractNe session with joumaIls$ In I..afpI. abo disdosed that the state has begun lheCOflSO'UCdon at an hldustriaJ market akJng die UrIIJahia " " " _ Rood ... boDe ...... ""'" """'"' ~te shopsUnMmy. ~ deigned IIlliqudy lOr bKiustrlal JlWlIOSe5. When completed, thepresenalocallon dlhelumbar and ~ materiaJ deaJen will be reIocated.APn, we havcpro;eaed s.(OJ~ ~ though the existinR number or traders on lumbar ana allied productslsabout half dlall'1UJ1lo ber.llle ~ Is 10 aJIow space b" pr~enlJantsbltothetradeand

haltlhelnddeaof ItoCMMliIabIIltyoJ shops': he said. lie added that the aa:ess road to Ihe madcet is also being construaed 10 makr ror altemalive acxess and IilrestaD traff.: pressure on the major Umudike lligbway, 11011118 lhal the project promises aU modem radlltk$ and th."It as loon as the rrrsr2,(XXI shops am ready. relocmion emdse wouId~

Orji ~ furti.ertMl construeOOnwas~ontheOltiya-Nsuk­

__ lJJnOOPl mec:hank: viJlage beins

tmdertake:n Ih.rough publlc privale pannenh.ip (PPV) initiative. adding dJal In order to fa5l-uack !he pmjett. the stale goyenunenc has Inlem!ned

"'-"""--'" the mechank:s. ., sec up I c:ommittee

10 ensun' that the zinc materials go

1bestate~lt l1aSahostafl.

edtherelocationcltheaulOmechanIcs in Aba ....bid!, themrnmlssloneuaid, is at the immnu! or the Abia branch or the Nalional Association of Auto Mechanics (NMM) who informed the Slate ~t or an existing spaEaapred by government ror the

"""'"""'This project is h~ having

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some diaJIcnges £rom the 00sI community agitating aver non~t

or compensation. "They miIed Wir sIceYes and obsttuaed !he eo.nhmav-

...

ing of the !ihe. Yk exercised"""",,. resualnt and IOCIicaIIy pulled bad. Thai Issue is being dbcus5ed now and lIS lOOn as ills resoM!d. WE wooJd resmn

action:

""~red.

The rehabi1itnion olAriaria Market

which. arguably. represents the soul and spiriJ of annmeltE In AhIa. Is a major nillcstone ror the colllmerce and Indusuymlnlstry because. beiue now.it"-asmoreclareli:Rdumpthan a marb!l and ah\"3)'S elidred aiticisI,\ ortheswe~tbyvisilOlS.The

axnmissiooer blamed the negtea of the market on the JocaJ goo.oernmenl authority, poind~out that rehabilitation wodcstaned as soon lISft gcM'I" nor ~ his approval bthe pmrDS. -nxtay, I am bold and proud to !mile an)body to vtsit Maria Mart2t even lhougb WI!' ~00Iyt:l donew;m

_. ._builton_

dlerehabilit1don;ir.-v.'aSpaDuldend-

and tree WI)'5 but we had aJ do k and I thank the b his support

sr:-mor

to those who h<M shoYm mmnabIe

wbidlwa5thegreatest~

obey earlk!r ~t hT the reJocatkJo... WI! are

that fired me oo.:heenduied. 'lb I:rins the market 10 Its present aU access roads ~ opened, drainages were desihed and the aesthetk:sollheJDalke(was re:stOred!a.lCh that one can fmeIy drive In and out of the madet: DOW, 1be commlssione r said thaI this rehablJjlalion was made JlO5SIl* by gmoemmenlS policy of 100 peltEnl

concmt 10

ai

v.ortina with the tudon 10

~ compliance 10 reIocallon before dwe end of this April'; he saki. lamenting that tome or the mechanb wm! not ready 10 ITJ(M! e:u:ept by

ensun!

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-Notwithstanding the constant ootk:eI and time lines bsued i:lr thdr reIocadon, the medulfJ.Q amy on In their ~ shops as If they were

notpand~~andthlsls ~d

IhedlaJleuBes ~t-:besaid.

stale,

pb.Igtl_bad:acauablerevmuewthe

using the trade union man· agement team whkh was mnstituIed among the traden. explainIngthal: the

I]'lalbt

~ was that the stale ~ ment would dMst It5eIf cl95 peoetlt of the equity holding, giving 80 pe:n:enl. other N1gerlan5 15 pen:ent and the sam: poemmenttM! pemm.

-AbiaSmteGomnI'J'len(wa5IOsub"""'In"'"",peren'",,",,~ I;3JJitalIzaOOnofltsaedltaa:ruing6un the company's asset valuation and. any bralana!s after the capUalization. was 10 be treated as Intl!reSl+free loan to he sakL He lamented that nine years a/'ic!" tbe privatization agreemenI. the commoYed £mm bad 10 ~ the situation on the inability of the MIssIon in UIBJaJUa, ownmofUCl.lmestment Lhnited.1O tnanagI! rhemmpany profifabIy. May 9, 2003, a ShaR:hoIdint

ua..

ua:

$E

'-""'--on

ment was t.eId betv.ftn the Abia Stalf.

p"ef1lJDeDl and UCL Resources and

Imoesunenl5 Ltd Umuahla, ~ the Modern Ceramics I..I:d. Umuahia.

The purpose of the agreement was ~ unong """" tlUn"" undenu. "'" reac:uvation and rehabilitation of the

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~,

and blSlaladons of uIillties and other 1I\fra.smJtture. and b.tnd andesrabIM. an InstIwtkm of Ceramics Technology in Umuahia 10 train Nigerians In Ceramics business. The agreement expected Uct. as the core inWSlOr, to ensure thai the company bounced bad to operation within a masbnum

oftwoyears; 1 alii pained 10 announce dial. nine solid years after. un has faIled on "VtUalIY every.9COre. The Indusuy Is romalO5e lIS I speak whkh is a sure sIfp d1itt UCL lads the aIJlOCity 10~on Its panoftl1eagJ~ement~ helotn1enlrd The Gokien Guinea ~ is a public q.JO(ft1 company since 1978 In whk:h Stale ~ holds an equicy ~ of 12.46 pean. Orji said ilia! _ ,•• cooamed about tile Slate of thewm-

me

"",m.'" . _

pany~ofll:SaodaI~­

it)' 10 the people. He m:aDed that the

mmpanycmsedoperaDJnln2003due toanexpbdonof'JIS~addQ:that

unlil n!!OI!OtIy, goo.oerrunent bad lJeen under the iDusIon tlial a ce1ain core bM!slorwbodaimedlObe~tbe

restatItadon was aaualydoingso. -It was a rude shod when we b.md out

kuerthattbeinve5uinquesdoniadrd !he req.dsite c;apadtyto undertake the resuscttadon oI!he Iildusuy and since the money needed 10 reactivate the brewmes is far ~ !he 6naodal c;apadty cl the state governmenl. ~ hove mandated the ~I to seek for investors since it has been dearty estabUsbed that no IrM$lIll" Is aaua1Jyv.uklngon the ~he

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