In an effort to boost food production and security, the Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo, has said that the Federal Government will collaborate with the Cross River State Government.
This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan.
According to the minister, the Cross River Basin Development Authority will work with stakeholders through the expansion of more irrigable lands to boost food production.
Goronyo stated this while on a 2-day familiarization tour of the CRBDA from Tuesday 7th–Wednesday 8th November 2023 at the government house in Calabar, the state capital.
While addressing the need for adequate food production, the minister added that the move was in line with the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
In his words: “In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on food security, I urge the management of CRBDA to continue to collaborate with Stakeholders and expand more irrigable lands to accelerate the actualization of Mr. President’s Agenda to get Nigerians out of hunger and poverty.”
Goronyo said he is determined to ensure the active participation of staff and partners of the water resources sector towards the success of Tinubu’s food security agenda, adding that everyone must be proactive, innovative and dedicated to making positive impacts in the lives of all Nigerians.
In his own remarks, the state governor, Bassey Otu, pledged his commitment to collaborate with the FG on food security, while assuring that the state government was already working assiduously to end open defecation in the state.
The Managing Director, CRBDA, Bassey Nkposong, emphasized that the Songhai Model Integrated Farm commissioned by the minister will provide a model and reference point to the local farmers and other entrepreneurs, on the zero waste concept of the farm.
According to Nkposong, the CRBDA has put in place strategic plans to synergise with various stakeholders in the River Basin to achieve full utilization of the available lands and water resources to construct dams, irrigation facilities, boreholes, flood and erosion control to meet the social-economic development of its catchment areas.
The minister then declared open the CRBDA Songhai Model Integrated Farms which consist of poultry, crops section, mushrooms, fishery and general animal husbandry sections as well as a 2-kilometre road network in the headquarters of the authority.
The statement noted that Goronyo and his entourage also paid a courtesy visit to the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Otu V, to wrap up his state visit.