Amaechi Tasks Rivers People On Cassava Initiative

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has charged indigenes of the state to take advantage of the State Cassava Initiative to empower themselves financially.

Governor Amaechi gave this charge last Wednesday, during the launch of the “Cassava Plus Project”, a component of the Rivers State Cassava Initiative at Bunu in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Represented by his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, the State Chief Executive pointed out that the cassava initiative is a product of deliberations between the state and agricultural organisations in Netherlands, stating that the programme is meant to change former cassava farming processes to a less energy-sapping one that enhances wealth creation, adding that the new cassava farming method is aimed at eradicating poverty.

On the sources of finance available under the project, Governor Amaechi asked cassava farmers to approach the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) for loans, lamenting that of the N2 billion the government deposited with the State Micro-finance Agency to assist small and medium scale investors, only N500 million has been accessed in the past two years. He noted while farmers produced 38 metric tones of cassava annually, they still live in poverty, hence, with the Cassava Plus Project, they would produce this same size of cassava and prosper as Dutch Agriculture and Development Trading Company (DAD TCO), a partner of the state in this initiative would buy off the products from the farmers.

Speaking at the occasion, the Ambassador of Netherlands, Mr. Bert Ronhaar commended Governor Amaechi for putting their collaborative discussions, into action which gave birth to the project, stating that, the project would be a success in the state.

In their separate speeches, the Director of DADTCO, Prof Peter Bolt, Cassava Plus Project Manager, Shell Social Performance Manager, Mr. Tony Attah, Executive Director of RSSDA, Mr. Noble Pepple and Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Emmanuel Chinda, represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Jokotade Adamu, said the solution to unemployment in the state lies in the cassava initiative.

They stated that about 600 megawatts of electricity has been installed at the Songhai Farm Project to boost the cassava production and make the place industrial nerve centre of the Niger Delta, assuring that the centre would ensure that farmers get commensurate reward for their efforts.