The Director of Adminis
tration, Cross River State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Francis Adie has reiterated the commitment of the ministry to farmers in the State towards enhancing ultimate performance.
Dr. Adie, stated this during the 2014 Capacity Building Programme of the Department of Produce Inspection Services, and an event organized to honour retired staff of the department, held recently at the Conference Hall, Ausma Suites, Ikom.
This year’s capacity Building Programme tagged:  “Produce Quality – A Veritable Tool for Wealth Creation”, featured panel discussion on the following topics; Has agricultural finance created any impact on agricultural production in the state? What had been the impact of capacity building on quality and quantity of agricultural produce in Cross River State?
The Director said “the Senator Liyel Imoke led-administration is serious with Agriculture, as it is the only alternative to crude oil at the moment and urged the youths in the state to go into farming since it remains the hope of the state in providing food, money and other social amenities.
He further assured farmers of the government’s commitment to assist them with credit facilities and agricultural inputs.
Earlier in his address, the Director of Produce, Mr. Anom Thomas, thanked the State Government for providing free cocoa seedlings to farmers across the state, noting that, the government was doing everything possible to encourage farmers in cocoa production as contained in the transformation agenda of its agricultural policy.
Mr. Thomas asserted that, the department had over the years strived to maintain the quality of cocoa, palm kernel and palm oil produce from the state to meet International standards.
Commenting on the retirees, the Director of Administration, appreciated their hard work and commitment during their thirty- five years in service to the state, adding that, “a civil servant must have a positive attitude, a sound mind to be able to stay up to thirty five years and retire meritoriously without a dented record”.
He charged the retirees to utilise their retirement by becoming employers of labour, urging them to make themselves available to the Department of Inspection Services, whenever the need arose.
Responding on behalf of the retirees, the immediate past Director of Produce, Mr. Okang Odze-Okang thanked God for allowing him and his colleagues to put in those years in service to the State. He appealed to Civil Servants to be patient in all their daily dealings, saying the future holds what is greater than yesterday.

Friday  Nwagbara, Calabar

Cross section of Rivers State Civil Servants during 2015 New Year prayer/dedication service at State Secretariate Complex Port Harcourt yesterday. Photo: Obinna Prince Dele