NALDA, Abia seal pact on rehabilitation of poultry farm estate

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Abia State Government for the rehabilitation of Ogwe Golden Chicken Farm Estate in Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State

This follows directives by President Muhammadu Buhari for NALDA to reactivate all existing farm estate so as to boost food security not only for consumption but for export purposes.

The Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, during the signing of the MoU with Abia State Governor Ikpeazu at Abia State Government House, Umuahia, said he and his team were in the state to formalise the understanding on the rehabilitation of the poultry farm estate in an effort to reduce unemployment in the state.

He explained that when fully rehabilitated, it will have the processing and hatchery points, residential area, production area for feeds and the packaging area.”

According to him, NALDA aim was to commission the first phase of the project by December this year, and when fully revamped the farm estate would employ about 3,000 youths in the state.

Ikonne maintained that most of their programmes are community-based to create jobs for the youths in the entire poultry value chain, saying with the project Abia state would be known for egg production and finished chicken products.”

While maintaining that their plan was to establish three farm estates in Abia state, the NALDA chief urged the governor to donate land for the two other farm estates.

Responding, Governor Ikpeazu thanked the president for appointing an indigene of Abia to head NALDA, as he assured the Federal Government that the agency’s boss would continue to deliver on the mandates assigned to the agency.

While applauding NALDA’s drive to ensure local participation in its programmes to create local economies and powerhouses to grow the country’s Gross Domestic Product, he assured the president that the chief executive of NALDA will continue to deliver on his mandate.

The governor also pledged the support of his state to the Federal Government in the actualisation of the farm estate and other projects championed by NALDA in Abia.

This came as the NALDA boss also announced that the agency was establishing fish ponds meant for rural women in Abia and Borno states.

He said the fish ponds were being established by his agency under NALDA’s Women in Fishery programme, adding that 50 of the ponds were being constructed in the Fish Village in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State.

For Borno State, Ikonne said the ponds were being established in 50 different locations in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital assuring that the ponds would be inaugurated in October this year.

“As we speak, 50 ponds in 10 locations are going on,” he stated.

“The 50 fish ponds in Ikwuano here in Abia State is a programme meant for women and it is called Women in Fishery. The project is to encourage women to go into fish production.”

He mentioned that it was easy for the authority to establish 50 ponds in Borno state because the governor made the land available and urged Abia state to also follow suit so as to establish such a project in the state.