-Ministry of Agriculture to establish agriculture depots in 3 senatorial districts to tackle high cost of foodstuffs in Akwa Ibom.
– Akwa Ibom State Government has given Agriculture Ministry ultimatum to crash prices of staple food, including garri, onion and rice before the Yuletide
In a bid to ensure food sufficiency and tackle high cost of foodstuffs in Akwa Ibom, the state government has handed about three weeks ultimatum to Commissioner for Agriculture to arrest the rising cost foodstuffs in the state before December, 2020.
The Ministry of Agriculture has therefore been directed to “take strategic steps to cause the prices of garri and rice to be reduced drastically, for the interest of the generality of the citizens and in preparation for the Yuletide.”
To curb the situation, the Ministry of Agriculture is mandated to establish agriculture depots in the three senatorial districts of the state, a move, government believe could go along way in reducing the high cost of foodstuffs in Akwa Ibom.
This is contained excerpts from the State Executive Council meeting of held on Wednesday, 11th November, 2020 at the Exco Chambers, Uyo and signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong.
The excerpt read: “The meeting of the Executive Council of the Akwa Ibom State Government was chaired by HE, the Governor, with His Excellency, the Deputy Governor; Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Head of the Civil Service, Honourable Commissioners and Special Advisers in attendance.
“After sufficient deliberation of items listed on the agenda, the council resolved as follows:
“That the post of the General Manager of Akwa Ibom Water Company, which has become vacant, be advertised.
“That the State COVID-19 Task Force should continue to maintain strict surveillance on COVID -19 spread, in the light of its global resurgence. An action plan for Risk Communication and Community Engagement was presented and reviewed.
“That the Next State Executive Council meeting will be dedicated to Education issues, specifically to receive and discuss the 10 year Education roadmap drawn from the Education Summit 2019.
“That the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture should immediately establish agriculture depots in the three senatorial districts and to take strategic steps to cause the prices of garri and rice to be reduced drastically, for the interest of the generality of the citizens and in preparation for the Yuletide.
“Council further directed that the ministry of Agriculture should immediately commence large scale commercial onion production, drawing from their experience during the experimental onion cultivation already executed.”
Akwa Ibom people as well as the rest of Nigeria have been groaning the high cost of foodstuffs in recent time.
