Total Supports Agric Development In Egi

The Rivers State Government has commended a multinational oil company in the state, Total Exploration and Producing Nigeria Limited (TEPNG), the operating partner of the NNPC/TEPNG Joint Venture, for its huge investment in agriculture in Egi Kingdom, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA)of the state.
The  state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Fred Kpakol, gave the commendation during a farm produce distribution event at Obite in ONELGA, last week.
He expressed appreciation to Total and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for supporting agricultural development in the area.
Kpakol said, “I really appreciate the CBN for the rice farm and Total. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step and the first step is what we are doing now. This is very good. We have come with CBN and we are joining Total to make sure that we do mechanised farming in this place and attention is geared towards rice, maize, cassava, and others. From what I saw today, I will say I’m very impressed and I will communicate to the governor.”
He urged the community to take to agriculture, saying, “you know that agriculture is the in-thing now; the whole world is gravitating towards agriculture, they should therefore make their lands available and work in synergy with government, Total and CBN, so as to access funds and grow agriculture”
Also speaking at the event, General Manager, Community Affairs and Development, TEPNG, Mr Obinna Ofoezie said the purpose of the event was to distribute agricultural produce from TEPNG demonstration farms to OML-58 host communities.
According to him, “today’s event is another facet of the several well intentioned programmes by the company to demonstrate that jointly we can return the Egi Kingdom to a food production hub by encouraging agricultural development within our communities”.
Ofoezie, who was represented by the Deputy Manager, Community Affairs and Development, TEPNG, Mr Okechwuku Obara, assured that through the Enterprise Development Unit, the company would continue to identify, evaluate and support agricultural development projects with the potential of creating wealth for individuals and groups within the host communities.
He said that the Egi Kingdom had witnessed various microcredit agricultural entrepreneurship skills, training and assistance provided by the company.
Ofoezie charged the youths in the area to “key into this programme since we have been able to demonstrate that it is doable so that we can make Egi Kingdom the food basket of Rivers State”.
In her goodwill message, the CBN representative and Assistant Director, Agriculture, Mrs Agustina Osuya, commended Total for its huge support.
towards its host communities and enjoined the community to avail themselves the opportunity of agricultural loan facilities in single digits available at the apex bank.
Meanwhile, a fish farmer/fish feed producer, and Chief Executive Officer of Egi Mega Farms, Mr. Ogu Kingsley, thanked TEPNG for its support, noting “they singlehandedly set up the feed production plant for us”.
Also, a rice farmer in the area, Mr Mbonu Chibuike, described the support from TEPNG as “fantastic”, saying the company had already procured 300 hectares of land for rice farming in the area.
Egi stakeholders in their responses, thanked Total and promised a continuous peaceful coexistence

By: Tonye Nria Dappa