By Akanimo Kufre
The Cross River Basin Development Authority, CRBDA, has signed MoU to secure about 205,000 hectares of land for investors to cultivate rice and cassava within its catchment area.
This information was made public when the new Managing Director of the Cross River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Bassey Nkposong and his management staff paid a courtesy visit to the Paramount ruler of Onna Local Government Area, HRM, Edidem Raymond Inyang in his palace last Friday.
‘We have a drive making us go around acquiring farmlands for very serious investors that we have identified to do with the land what it was meant for. We have signed MoU to secure 25,000 hectares of land for rice farming and 180,000 hectares of land to grow cassava. Just about three weeks ago we met this Chinese team that wants to turn cassava around. They are not looking for cassava for eating like we do but for so many other purposes to aid factories. They have identified our catchment area (Cross River and Akwa Ibom State) for their pilot project.’ Engr. Nkposong explained.
It would be recalled that the CRBDA is one of the 12 River Basins development authority under Federal Ministry of Water Resources saddled with responsibility of comprehensive and sustainable development of the land and water resources around Cross River and Akwa Ibom State.
According to the Engr. Nkposong, the Basin Authority under President Buhari is poised to make agricultural diversification programmes exciting to the youths and women to contribute to national economy against prevailing drop in oil revenue.
‘For the Onna irrigation project, our intention is to develop the over 200 hectares of land which has remained fallow and to introduce the integrated farming system.’
In his response HRM Edidem Raymond expressed delight over CRBDA visit and advised that if federal government partners with the owners of the land, there will be no more ‘abandoned projects’.
‘Onna has enough land for rice and cassava projects, thank God things have changed. There are interest to grow rice and cassava and there are credible managers. We don’t need federal government to acquire land we need federal government to partner with the owners of the land, they will never take the land away, and they can’t. As representative of the federal government you can improve the land and we are ready to partner with you. Just like yours, our management (traditional council) have changed. My chiefs want to produce from agriculture, not subsistence but enough produce for export. ’
His royal majesty was excited about the basin authority visit and promised to inform the Akwa Ibom state governor, Gov. Udom Emmanuel about his visit. Also the MD was assured by the traditional council to lead his team to visit an abandoned rice project farm at Ikot Ebidang which was developed by an American, Mobil and Akwa Ibom State government.
The was led to see a private farm project in Awa, Ibom Integrated Farm Ltd. The over 42 hectare farmland has vegetable farm, fish ponds, poultry, feed mill and 10 hectares of oil palm plantation.
Amongst the CRBDA staffs were Executive Directors Engr. Winston Esin(Engineering), Engr. I.I. Udo (Planning and Design), Ukpata Egbe (Finance and Admin), Dr. Ubon Essien(Agric Services), Deputy Director ,Uyo area office, Mrs Uduak Ekanem, Diaspora, Madam Iboro Ekanem, P.R.O Mr Jackson and Project manager Onna, Mr Osung Ntekim.
With his royal majesty to receive the guest were 12 council members including Eteidung Sunday Ezekiel, Effiong Okon, Samuel Adiakpan, Eteidung Ntiense Nda amongst others.
