Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has said to have initiated moves to revamp the old Farm Settlements built in the South East by the Former Premier of Old Eastern Region, late Dr Michael Okpara.
This is even as the socio-cultural group holds talk with Israeli Agricultural giant Company through an Abia Born Agric Expert and Consultant to establish a new mechanized Modern new Farm Settlement in line with National Livestock Transformation programme, that will create about 500,000 jobs for the igbo Youths across 95 LGA’s of Southeast.
In a press statement signed by the group President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, OYC said partnership with President Muhammadu Buhari and Southeast governors will fast-track the whole process and ensure their efforts to revamp the farm comes to fruition.
The full statement reads below…
“OYC through her Partner had secured approval from President Muhammadu Buhari in the recent past but will engage South East Governors on the establishment of Regional Mechanized Farm Settlements, which will be a private-public business Venture, with expectations of a Green House and a dairy farm capable of producing 1.5m litres of Israeli cow milk annually.
“OYC laud Governors Dave Umahi and Okezie Ikpeazu Agricultural Models in Ebonyi and Abia States, where Abakiliki Rice remains a household name in the Country with the recent closure of Land Borders in Nigeria, millions Eboyians had been empowered through the Agricultural empowerment programmes of Ebonyi State Government and in Abia State.
“Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had created 40,000 Jobs through Agricultural Youth empowerment programmes, the Government trained about 4000 Youths in various Agricultural skills in partnership with National Roots Research Corp Institute Umudike, Ikwuano Abia and Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Government Also approved to pay the Counterpart Funds 50million which was passed into law by Abia State House of Assembly to Bank of Agriculture for the assessment of soft loans of 250,000Naira capital investment for each Youth that participated in the Agricultural training,with Bank of Agriculture.
“OYC had Confirmed that about 4000 Youths will benefit from the Agricultural soft loan from Bank of Agriculture. We expect that 4000 Youths will employ 10 Youths each which will create additional 40000 jobs, as We Urge the Government to do the needful ahead of April 2020 farming season.
“OYC insists that through Southeast Regional Mechanized Farm Settlements, will not only make Southeast self sufficient and guarantee food Security, but it will end kidnapping, Yahoo business, quick wealth syndrome and other social vices, the Diary Section of the Proposed farm Settlement, but will end the nefarious activities of Fulani herdsmen which uses cattle conveyance by foot to wreak havoc on our farms,encourage homegrown species of igbo cattle for our patronage.
