Rivers Focused On Creating Jobs For Youths – Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, says his administration’s focus on Agriculture is aimed at creating more jobs for the teeming youths of the state.

Governor Amaechi said this Tuesday during the flag-off of the Growth

Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme at Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area of the State.

Represented by his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, Governor Amaechi outlined the significance of the scheme to farmers, calling on farmers in the country to make good use of the opportunity ti enhanced productivity in the Agricultural sector, pointed out that the scheme was in line with his administration’s commitment to fighting crime with the job creation.

The State chief Executive urged farmers in the State to follow the instructions on the use of the seed and fertilisers to achieve the best results, commending the Federal Government for initiating the scheme.

Speaking the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, commended Governor Amaechi for “his keen interest and support for the development of Agriculture in Nigeria and the contribution of Rivers State to the development of the Oil Palm industry”.

He called on farmers to embrace the scheme, which is expected to register 5 million farmers annually, with a target of 20 million farmers for the next three years, adding that only about 4.5 million farmers have been registered on the national farmers’ database, disclosing that the  Federal Government initiated the scheme in order to address the challenges facing the scheme in the areas of input distribution and to facilitate timely and easy access to seed and fertilisers at affordable prizes to farmers.

Earlier in his Welcome Address, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Emmanuel Chinda emphasized the State Government’s commitment to the scheme, disclosing that six redemption centres have been established in the State with a view to encouraging farmers in the State increase their productivity.