Don Urges Govt To Establish Agro-Industries To Create Jobs

A don, Prof. Patrick
Erhabor, has urged government at all levels to establish agro-industries to create job opportunities for the citizenry.
Erhabor, who is a lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Services, University of Benin, made the call in an interview with newsmen  in Benin.
The don said that the processing of some agricultural products like cassava, cocoa among others would help the nation’s quest for food sufficiency.
Erhabor, also a former Secretary to Edo Government, said that importation of agricultural products which could ordinarily be produced in the country was encouraging capital flight.
He said that the country had many policies on agriculture, but effective implementation was always the problem.
“In Nigeria today, you will find that it is easier for people to import rice than for them to be encouraged to produce and eat their own rice.
“Before any country can survive, take India, China, today, they are more than self-sufficient in food, because they were at a certain period in their history consuming only what they produce.
“But here, you tell farmers to grow cassava; 50 per cent of the cassava will be for consumption, then the policy is not sustained and implementation is zero.
“The farmers produce cassava and process into cassava flour, but no bakery takes them because they are still importing their flour; by so doing, they are encouraging capital flight.
“Why should Nigeria be sending cocoa outside the country? Why will Nigeria not add value to its cocoa?
“So that the industry  will be established to create job opportunities for the people, “ he said.
The university teacher said that the availability of more industries would create processed agricultural products which would find more markets within the West Africa sub-region.
“So many things you can do with cassava, the demand for cassava by industries for industrial starch is 230, 000 tonnes but presently, the production in Nigeria is 23, 000 tonnes.
The lecturer stressed the need for the country to harness its resources and produce its own industrial demands in order to create jobs and other opportunities.

Group of women of TAN of PDP at the presidential rally at the Amiesimaka Stadium Port Harcourt recently. Photo: Chris Monyanaga