Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, has called on rice producers in the state to assist him in addressing the issue of hunger, as well as the scarcity of the rice product by engaging in local production, as well as making it affordable to the people of the State.
Okorocha made this appeal in Owerri while in a town hall meeting with stakeholders of the Imo state Anchor Borrowers programme, weekend. The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Natural resources, Hon. Udo Agoha warned that the solution to the economic recession was to invest in agriculture. While fielding questions on why the Imo state government has not put enough resources in the Anchor Borrowers programme, he answered, “His Excellency, Rochas Okorocha has approved 10 million for the project.” He continued, “We are working hard to get involve in agriculture.
There is eminent scarcity of food and hence the state has launched the palm to palm programme, back to farm and Imo school programme.”
Speaking also, the Coordinator of the Imo state Anchor Borrowers Programme, Mr. Edwin Uche, said that the project was private sector driven and it was targeted to encourage local production, adding that, “It is Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, project to encourage rice farmers.” He said, “At every stage of this programme, the stakeholders are expected to come together to agree on the various issues that would enable us drive the objectives of the Anchor Borrowers Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Imo state,” adding, that “the is the essence of this town hall meeting.”