AKSG Distributes Farm Implements, Seedlings To Primary Schools
By Pioneer Team June 07, 2020 14 0
To boost the passion of children in practical agriculture, Akwa Ibom Government has flagged off the distribution of farm implements and seedlings to primary schools in the state.
The event which was facilitated by the State Universal Basic Education Board, through the UBE Matching Grant Intervention Fund, took place at Eket Local Government Council grounds, Eket.
Performing the exercise, commissioner for education, Professor Nse Essien, said that Nigeria's economy depends on agriculture, therefore, a sincere investment in the sector is imperative for its development.
According to him, with the commencement of the school farm programme, agriculture becomes compulsory to all primary and secondary schools, as the Ministry of Agriculture has been mandated to supply farm tools and seedlings to schools.
In her opening remark, executive chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Professor Maria Ikorok, noted that the essence of the exercise is to revive the interest of farming in our children through practical agriculture in primary schools.
Ikorok observed that agricultural education in primary school provides a logical entry point and foundation for practical agriculture where all Akwa Ibom children will be groomed in the process for entrepreneurship purpose.
According to the chairman, distribution of the items will soon take place in Ikot Ekpene and Uyo Senatorial Districts.
Professor Ikorok who stated that the programme is in line with the state government's policy on agriculture, to ensure food sufficiency and security, applauded the governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, for his huge commitment in basic education.
While commending Mr Emmanue for giving the leadership of the board an enabling environment to discharge their responsibilities, the chairman disclosed that our education friendly governor has magnanimously paid up the 2019 UBE counterpart fund.
The don averred that Universal Basic Education Commission's mandate is geared towards resuscitation and functional agricultural education in basic schools, and this has informed the procurement and supply of the items by contractors according to approved work plan.
According to her, "some schools which have not been selected for the supplies will be involved in marketing the products as plans are underway for the introduction of animal husbandry in the next phase of the programme.
The SUBEB boss hinted that the board has already taken delivery of fertilizer meant for distribution to the benefitting schools.
She advised the benefiting schools to work closely with the school-based management committees (SBMC) as the board rely on the assistance of the respective village heads and host communities for the success of the programme.
In his response, SBMC chairman, Government Primary School, Awa Ndon, Onna, Mr. Clement William, expressed appreciation to the state government, UBEC as well as SUBEB for the items received and promised to ensure the success of the programme.
High point of the event was the flag-off of the distribution of farm implements and seedlings by the commissioner for education, Professor Nse Essien.
Items such as shovels, hoes, wheel barrows, machetes, watering can, head pans, cassava cuttings, coconut seedlings, pineapple suckers, oil palm seedlings, maize seeds and cucumber seeds, insecticides and fungicides were distributed to benefitting schools.
The beneficiary schools include: Holy Trinity School, Ikwe; Government Primary School, Awa Ndon; Lutheran Primary School, Okat; Government School, Efoi, Eket; Holy Cross Lutheran School, Ukwo, Samuel Spiritual School, Ete; Methodist School, Atabong; Government Primary School, Uboro; Methodist School, Ewang and St. Patrick School, Mbukpo Eyokan.
The event had in attendance SSA to governor on education Monitoring, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet; board member 1, Bernard Duncan; board member 2, Bishop Ime Ekpe; board member 3, Inibehe Etukudo; permanent secretary, Elder Ezekiel Umoh; SUBEB directors, education secretaries, head teachers and SBMC chairmen in the senatorial district.

http://www.pioneernewsonline.com/news/6067/aksg-distributes-farm-implements-seedlings-to-primary-schools



In another news: Our Future Greatness Is In Agriculture - Gov Emmanuel

Gov Udom Emmanuel has declared that the future greatness of Akwa Ibom is in agriculture and therefore restated the need for all Akwa Ibom citizens to embrace agriculture, not only for food sufficiency, but also for wealth creation.
Emmanuel made the declaration on recently at the Governor's office, Uyo, when he was enumerated as a farmer under the ongoing enumeration of all farmers in Akwa Ibom.
While filling the data-gathering questionnaire presented on the occasion by the executive director, Agricultural Investments directorate in AKICORP, Pastor Umo Eno, the governor stated that he was satisfied that the first ever data-gathering exercise of all farmers, including himself, in Akwa Ibom has begun and expressed optimism that the database of farmers would help immensely in statistical planning for the success of the agricultural sector of the state's economy.
The state chief executive, who acknowledged that he was a farmer, with 300 hectares of cocoa and plantain plantation in the state, stressed the necessity for all citizens to return to farming as the only alternative for greatness.
"The only way forward to make our state great, the only way forward to achieve that sustainability in the economy and all other strata of what we are looking for, is to go back to the soil. And in this case, a particular reference is agriculture, he restated.
Emmanuel lauded AKICORP Directorate of Agricultural Investments for the aggressive registration of farmers; the initiative which, he noted, was geared "towards our dream of having the state to produce what we eat: the staple food should actually come from here.
He expressed confidence that the farmer data-gathering, particularly with the deployment of information and communication technology, would help in planning, adding: "I like the way you are partnering with ICT to create the database that will be used for years to come, not only for this administration but for successive administrations.
The governor advised workers not to only depend on pension after retirement, but be involved in agriculture which, he said, will enable them earn more income than pension.
In his remarks, Pastor Umo Eno praised the governor for taking a proactive approach towards repositioning agriculture as the mainstay of Akwa Ibom economy, especially for accepting to be enumerated as a cocoa and plantain farmer.
Eno described the governor's presence for the exercise as exemplary, noting that it would "encourage our elite class and our teeming youths to embrace agriculture as a business and as a post COVID-19 economic recovery growth plan, following the decline in oil revenue.
According to him, the outcome of the data-gathering on farmers would include identification of all farmers and their various crops; projection of the metric tonnage of various food crops planted in the state annually to boost the supply of adequate raw materials in the food value chain; drawing the attention of government and various donor agencies to give financial and technical assistance to farmers directly in specific areas of need to enhance food production and also supporting the production of staple food at competitive prices in the state.
The executive director assured the governor that the state will be proud of the database of farmers, which would filter information for statistical planning and serve as a major customer base for the incoming Ibom FADAMA Micro-Finance Bank.
http://www.pioneernewsonline.com/news/6075/our-future-greatness-is-in-agriculture-gov-emmanuel

Akwa Ibom ayaya
Akwa Ibom amaka

Lalaclata carry this good news go front page
Let encourage farming oo