Ebonyi, Florida Investors To Revive Hatchery Firm

The Ebonyi State government is set to collaborate with investors from Florida, United States to revive its hatchery firm and generally revamp its agricultural and mineral resources.

Gov. Martin Elechi disclosed this on Tuesday in Abakaliki on arrival from a two-week economic trip to the U.S.

Elechi said the state’s economic team negotiated with Florida State’s chambers of commerce with a view to tapping and harnessing the rich agricultural and mineral resources in Ebonyi.

“We discussed with professors, businessmen and other stakeholders on ways of reviving our moribund hatchery and managing our poultry farm.

“They will inaugurate scientific laboratories across the state to check incidences of animal diseases such as Avain Flu and others.

“The collaboration will also see the investors and technicians revamping vegetable cropping in the state to make the citizens generally enhance their dietary knowledge.”

Elechi remarked that the Mayor of St. Augustine, USA’s oldest city, expressed readiness to collaborate with the state in developing its cities to improve its aesthetic nature.

“The collaboration will help in reviving our hotel management abilities, especially the on-going state international hotel project.

“Tourist attractions in the state such as the Edda Caves in Afikpo South Local Government Area, among others, will be revived to generally enhance tourism in the state.”

The governor noted that the team also discussed cement production due to the vast limestone deposits in the state.

“Studies were carried out on the possibility of inaugurating power plants in the state to ensure the smooth operation of the cement factory to be inaugurated by the government.

“The investors are expected in the state within one month to conduct feasibility studies and other requirements needed for the smooth take-off of the project.”

Elechi noted that though the trip was exploratory, the team would embark on further visits to build on its gains to achieve the overall objectives.

“We could not discuss with most of the people we intended to meet due to visa hitches as they had left Florida for other purposes by the time we eventually arrived,” he said.