POMAN Boss Calls For Songhai Farms’ Sustenance

L-R: Head, Department of Crop Protection, University of Ibadan, Prof. Adebayo Omoloye; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Gbemisola Oke; Principal Investigator, Yam Seed Production in Bio-reactors, Dr Morufat Balogun and representative of the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Rasheed Awodoyin, at Yam Seed Production in Bio-reactors at the University of Ibadan, yesterday

The chairman of the Riv
ers State Oil Millers Association of Nigeria, (POMAN), Mr. Nwaneri Okirigwe, has called on the Rivers State government to continue to maintain the state Owneda Songhai Farms Initiative.
Okirigwe who stated this while speaking to our correspondent in Port Harcourt yesterday said the farm was one of the best government owned outfit that has proved beneficial to the people of the state.
According to him, the farm has served the people of Bunu, in Tai Local Government Area of the state by providing employment to indigenes of the area.
He said apart from employment, it has also provided training opportunities for farmers in the area which has led to increased crop yield through the application of modern farming methods.
The POMAN boss further called on the government to prioritize the maintainance of  facilities at the centre to enable it stand the test of time.
Explaining further, he said in order to gain the confidence of the people of the state, the government should endeavour to make the farms an employers of labour not only to the indigenes of the area but the state as a whole.
On the possibility of the farm to making the state self reliant on food production he said it was possible.
According to him, a visit to the farm would confirm that every department of the outfit has a well planned outlay that has taken good care of the farm.
He said he was convinced that the fisheries, poultry and crop sections if well maintained could make Rivers state self reliant on food for its people.
He further opined that if well-coordinated, the centre was capable of exporting their products to neigbouring states and beyond.