By Francis Sadhere
As part of its commitment to the Delta Beyond Oil Initiative, the Delta State Government, through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has earmarked the sum of one billion naira as intervention fund for the renovation of deplorable markets all over the state.
The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan said this during the official opening ceremony of the Delta Trade Fair 2013, held at Usubi, Delta State.
The Governor who was ably represented by his Deputy, Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama (SAN), said that the state government was committed to its dream of a Delta State Beyond Oil and that was why it had earmarked the sum of one billion to renovate and make markets in the state conducive for the trading, noting that it will encourage farmers to bring their produce to the market and sell with ease.
The Governor said; “Due to the deplorable condition of most of our rural markets, we have through the ministry of Commerce and Industry set aside the sum of one billion naira as interventionist funds for the development of these markets. We are going to establish five more cassava processing mills in Obitem, Mosogar, Agbor, Agbarha-Otor and Koko, to key into the production of starch and flour within the cassava chain.”
Governor Uduaghan also said that, apart from renovating the markets, his government had engaged about 950 youths in poultry, fishing piggery and snail through its Youths Empowerment, Agriculture and Farmers Support Programme (YETA-FSP).
He further said that his government was committed to building more infrastructures in the state because infrastructures were necessary for the state to achieve its dream of making Deltans depend less on oil.
Uduaghan, while congratulating DACCIMA and other stakeholders for staging the Trade Exhibitions in the State, noted that the state has also through its Farmers Support Programme aimed at assisting peasant farmers expand their farms by the provision of soft loans and farm implements without collateral, as six hundred million naira has been given out to 3, 921 farmers around the state for improve agricultral production.
The Governor stressed that for the state to achieve its dream, it must develop its agricultural sector as well as the medium and small industries, noting that developed countries all over the world first developed their medium and small scale industries before they became industrialized countries.
He said; “Advance countries in the world started by developing their small and medium scale enterprises and their agricultural sectors which serves as a springboard and graduated to full scale industrial countries. Let us do all we can towards the improvement of agriculture and small and medium enterprises in Nigeria to harness our potentials.”
Governor Uduaghan added that the trade fair had provided an avenue for people to exhibit their potentials by venturing into areas that were not related to oil.
“the State government is pursuing its policy of Delta Beyond Oil by putting infrastructures in place to ensure that the state is a commercial and industrial hub, through the provision of various investment policies and programmes in addition to various windows designed for private sector to grow their private businesses,” the Governor said.
Earlier, in his address, the President of Delta State Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture ( DACCIMA), Chief Uju Udeme, said that theme of the fair ‘ Trade beyond oil’ is in line with the state government vision of Delta Beyond Oil which through its Micro- Credit financing have empowered and touched many lives in the state as well as aggressive development of other sectors of the state economy, agriculture, infrastructure, eduction, security, health and road construction.
While expressing gratitude to the state governor for making this year trade fair possible, he appealed that the facilities of the Trade Fair Complex should be given some face lift as some of them are fast depreciating, he assured that the participants/ exhibitors that the fair promises to be a huge success, as Deltans will continue to showcase their rich cultural heritage.
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