FG, states told to invest in ginger production

Acting President of National Ginger Association of Nigeria (NGAN), Mikah Adamu, at the weekend, urged Federal and state governments to invest in ginger production to promote its value chains, employment and boost revenue as an alternative to oil.

Adamu, while speaking in Asaba, Delta State, at the inauguration of South-South zonal executives, also charged governments to assist farmers through its Growth Enhancement Scheme by setting up more ginger companies at local government levels, where farmers are organised.

He said: “The organisation entails ginger farmers to register members from the ward levels, local government as well as the state levels to promote value development chain of ginger as a product capable of boosting wealth creation, employment opportunities and improved Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria.”

Inaugurating the executive, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Julius Egbedi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ben Agama, lauded the ethics of ginger farmers in the region in ensuring productivity within a short period.

Egbedi pledged the support of the state government to the advancement of the agricultural sector of the state.

Earlier, state Chairman of NGAN, Harrison Opia, expressed the need for government at all levels to invest in ginger farming and production as to generate revenue as crude oil.

Opia noted that the success recorded by ginger farmers in the South-South dismissed the assertion that ginger could only grow in the Northern part of Nigeria.

He said: “Some of us who have worked in the gas industry decided to introduce the base approach to the farming of ginger as it is seen as a good crop that can compete with crude oil in the international market.”

He called for the support of governments to diversify the economy through agriculture and ginger cultivation and processing, stressing that the ginger chain is the way to go.