Nick Opara-Ndudu, governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Imo State Government election in 2019, addressing APGA supporters at his residence in Emekuku, Owerri North Local Government Area, emphasized the imperative of a well-articulated agricultural policy to be implemented in Imo State as means of emancipating the people from abject poverty, as well as address the crisis of underdevelopment.
He highlighted that the policy, which will be tagged “Agricultural Revolution” should also include opening the rural areas for vibrant economic activities that will improve the quality of lives of Imo people, including sustainable growth in the state economy; the overall aim will be to empower the people economically while promoting socio-economic development of the state.
He remarked that agriculture is a springboard for economic revival of Imo State and that his government will be very active in the sector because of its numerous potentials.
Opara-Ndudu, a banker, contended that if the rural areas are opened by providing road networks, people in the countryside would be connected to the cities to facilitate smooth transportation of agricultural produce in the hinterland. He expressed that this would encourage farmers to increase production.
The APGA governorship aspirant further acknowledged that provision of power, pipe-borne water, hospitals and recreational facilities in the rural areas will stem the menace of rural/urban migration as youths will be encouraged to live in villages and take agriculture as a profession.
The former commissioner, whose mentor is Chief Sam Mbawke, late former Governor of old Imo State, promised if given the mandate in 2019, his government would encourage the return of cooperative farming and commodity board, the building of storage facilities and local processing of farm produce.
He promised to revive all the moribund agricultural investments in the state such as Avutu Poultry Farm in Obowu, Adapalm Plantation in Ohaji, and establish new ones. He, however, stated that there will be paradigm shift from the past experience of sole state ownership to Public Private Partnership (PPP; saying that companies, local and foreign, willing to invest in agriculture in the state, would be encouraged to do so.
Opara-Ndudu remarked that agriculture paly composite functions in providing food and employment for the people, as well as source of raw materials, revenue, exports, among others. He was of the view that it will lay strong foundation for industrialization of Imo State as experienced in the economic Eldorado of the countries of South East Asia and China.