Amby Uneze in Owerri
Stakeholders in twelve communities in six local government areas of Imo State have commended the Federal government, Imo State government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises - Nigeria Delta (LIFE-ND) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for transforming the lives of the rural people.
The Stakeholders who include beneficiaries of the programme, traditional rulers and other community leaders of the various areas expressed their satisfaction to the government for providing a palliative platforms for transformation of the rural economy in which the population can derive prosperity and equal benefits.
The commendation was made during the five-day NPCO/NDDC Joint oversight/monitoring visits to the Imo State LIFE-ND Incubation centres which involved Ezimgbidi and Ibiasoegbe communities in Oru East LGA, Nnebukwu, Izombe, Mgbele and Egbuoma communities in Oguta LGA, Amaigbo in Nwangele LGA, Amandugba in Isu LGA, Ogbor in Isiala Mbano LGA, Ezimba in Ihitte Uboma LGA, and Eziama and Nguru Umuaro in Ngor Okpala LGA. The 12 communities were selected for oversight visit out of the 104 communities currently on board from the 3 senatorial zones of the State.
The farms/value chain visited were Mgbeanulu Farm (poultry - brood and sell), Dera's farm (aquaculture), Frankorie's cassava farm (cassava), Livestock Specialists Agro Development Co. Ltd (aquaculture), Dee Imo's farm (aquaculture), Brohood farm (poultry), Duka's farm (fishing), Lordside Ejeval farms (poultry), C. Christ Investment Farms (rice), Agunanne Farms (aquaculture), Charles Excel Farm (cassava), and Kilos Farm (poultry).
Addressing the team, the Imo State LIFE-ND Project Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Igboanugo highlighted the essence of the oversight visit as the commission's commitment to youth employment, agribusiness development, food security, and sustainable economic growth in the Niger Delta region.
She noted that within the short period of one year and four months since the inception of the LIFE-ND Project in the State, commendable achievements in line with the objectives of the Commission have been recorded, adding that three batches of incubatees have been on-boarded totalling 1,403 beneficiaries under the programme.
According to her, the first batch comprises 313, second batch has 500 incubatees with 188 agro-marketers across the value chains, while the third batch with 590 incubatees are currently active and are receiving their monthly stipends while the former had been fully empowered.
Mrs. Igboanugo added that the project had also made remarkable progress in infrastructure development by constructing of cassava and rice processing centers/clusters at Ozuh Omuma in Oru East LGA, and Ezimba in Ihitte Uboma LGA respectively.
She thanked the federal government and State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma for believing in the NDDC vision, partnership and unwavering support to the development of the rural people in the State.
Speaking to the beneficiaries the NDDC officials comprising Mr. Tony Frank Oputa (Director, Agric and Fisheries) and Awi Harriet (Assistant Director, Agric and Fisheries) leading other Commission's staff reminded the Stakeholders that NDDC is proud with the progress of LIFE-ND in the State, adding that the State has become a model where other States would come to learn from.
According to them, in line with the slogan of the commission "making a difference", our target is to give joy among the people, adding, if there is no difference in the lives of the rural people then we are not improving.
In her own contribution, the Agribusiness Promotion Coordinator of LIFE-ND, national office, Mrs. Antonia Esenwa noted that the essence of the oversight visit is to monitor the progress of the beneficiaries so as to correct them if there are lapses, stressing that the project is targeted to touch lives of the rural people hence "we go to their sites to access their progress and ensure that what they are doing is in line with the objectives of the programme."
The beneficiaries expressed great joy to NDDC and partners for lifting them from nobodies to some bodies, adding "our lives are improving, we can contribute to the well-being of our family members."
0 Comments