By Ken Stanley

Gov. Peter Mbah says his administration is upgrading the Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo to a University of Agriculture with another Campus at Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.

Mbah disclosed this on Saturday at the Michael Okpara Square when he flagged off the free distribution of 40,000 fertilizers and other farm inputs to over 60,000 registered farmers in the state.

The governor said that the university would be able to produce the next generation of agricultural scientists, entrepreneurs and Innovators.

He said that his administration remained committed to establishing a special Agro Processing Zone in order to have the capability to process, package and export value-added agricultural products and produce.

“The aim is to make Enugu a major exporter of Agro products; while the state is about to commence the initiative with a pilot agriculture industrial hub and three agricultural transformation centres which will serve as catalyst for agro processing, job creation and rural development,” he said.

Mbah said the state had already taken delivery of 102 tractors and another batch of 98 would be delivered soon, while 800 would be assembled locally at the Nortra Assembling Plant in Enugu to enable registered farmers to have access to a mechanised farming system.

The governor acknowledged that agriculture was the backbone of the old Eastern Region’s economy.

He noted that his administration’s investment in agriculture is central to grow the state’s economy to 30 billion dollars and reduce the poverty headcount rate to zero, adding that “farming is a vocation that requires professional insights and contributions.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, said that the event signifies an affirmation that the governor is fully committed to transforming the rural communities into vibrant centres of economic growth, prosperity and a symbol of hope and resilience.

Ubru noted that “agricultural sector in Enugu State has never had it so good before now.”

Also, the Enugu Farm Estate consultant, Alhaji Friday Sani-Nnaji, and the chairman, house committee on agriculture, Hon. Ejike Eze, commended the governor for the lofty achievements in the agric sector.

The both of them assured that food security is sacrosanct in the state by next 2026.

Over 40,000 bags of fertiliser, and over 100 tractors as well as several other farm inputs were distributed to registered farmers in the state.