Enugu partners Presidency on food security, insures 9,000 farmers

Barring any last-minute change of plans, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, is set to join his counterparts from Akwa Ibom and Delta states to begin a new political experience on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.

Meanwhile, to guarantee food security in the state, the state has expressed readiness to partner with the Harvesting Hope Caravan (HHC), a flagship programme under the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) in the Office of the Vice President, alongside Pula Advisors, its donor partners, and Leadway Insurance Company.

Tangible signs that Mbah, the only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor in the South-East, is finally awaiting in APC emerged yesterday, as the National Working Committee (NWC) began fine-tuning the process of dismantling the Enugu Executive Committee of the party, headed by Ugochukwu Agballah.

Sources within the APC Secretariat confided in The Guardian that the dissolution of the PDP executive committee was expected to be announced on Thursday, October 9, adding that the names of those to occupy the caretaker committee were awaiting clearance from the Presidency.

The source disclosed that APC governors were expected in Enugu to receive Mbah into the party, adding that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma is part of the group working on the harmonisation of old and new officials for Enugu.

The Guardian gathered that Uzodimma, who doubles as the Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), had been trying to stonewall Mbah’s entry into APC in a bid to sustain his control of the structure.

Agballah and the embattled Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, are acolytes of the Imo governor.

Nnaji had accused Mbah of orchestrating the hullabaloo over the disputed degree certificate he used to secure the ministerial appointment, just as PDP stakeholders also accused Nnaji of stoking the allegation of Mbah’s disputed National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.

The two politicians, who hail from the same Enugu East Senatorial District, contested the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state, in which Nnaji, the then APC contender, finished as the second runner-up. Mbah’s defection may have ended the anticipation of a rematch in 2027, unless Nnaji crosses over to the PDP.

Mbah’s administration insured no fewer than 9,000 farmers against agricultural risk hazards, protecting their production and reinforcing their confidence in the agriculture sector.

Speaking during the flag-off of the initiative, the Coordinator of HHC, Safiya Umar, described the programme as a national grassroots platform for dialogue, engagement and mobilisation that bridges the gap between government policy and the people.

She explained that the Caravan was designed to connect policymakers, farmers, agribusinesses and communities through inclusive engagements rooted in local cultural norms.

“The HHC fosters dialogue, builds partnerships, and unifies efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s food systems. It promotes inclusivity by giving women, youth and smallholder farmers a meaningful voice in shaping interventions that affect their lives,” she said.

Umar added that the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda (RHA), showcasing the government’s commitment to sustainable agricultural transformation through evidence-based policies and people-centred solutions.

The Head of Pula Advisors in the state, Ugwu Ndubuisi, commended Enugu for its proactive participation in the National Agribusiness Policy Mechanism (NAPM), which operates alongside the HHC to synchronise data-driven planning and implementation.

He praised the state’s visionary leadership under Mbah for prioritising farmers’ welfare and expanding access to agricultural insurance.

He expressed appreciation to the PFSCU, Leadway Insurance, Bayer Foundation and Enugu government for making the insurance initiative possible, reaffirming Pula Advisors’ continued commitment to the national agribusiness and food security drive.

Reacting, the Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, commended the Presidency for spearheading partnerships that strengthen food security nationwide, describing food security as the cornerstone of economic stability, and emphasising that Enugu’s agricultural reforms were focused on creating wealth, jobs and sustainable livelihoods.

Ossai, who represented the Governor, stated that the government established the Enugu Agricultural Farmland Bank, which encompasses over 130,000 hectares of land, to attract investment and support commercial farming.