Akwa Ibom govt urges AKSU students to support its agricultural programmes

 The Akwa Ibom Government has advised students of the State University (AKSU) to support the agricultural programmes of the government to boost food production in the state.

The State’s Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo, gave the advice on Monday in Uyo when the executive members, National Association of Agricultural Students (NAAS), AKSU chapter, paid him a visit.
Ekpo said that the state government had decided to invest in agricultural production to enhance food security and employment opportunity for its citizens in the face of dwindling oil price.
“Akwa Ibom Government is giving premium to agriculture as a way of reducing over-dependence on crude oil,” Ekpo said.
He urged the students as those receiving expert knowledge in agriculture to contribute their quota to the development of agriculture as a business in the state.
Ekpo said that in the last one year the administration of Gov. Udom Emmanuel had launched cocoa rejuvenation project, oil palm expansion programmes and coconut plantation project.
The deputy governor said that the governor had just inaugurated a modern poultry hatchery with the capacity of producing 540,000 day-old chicks monthly.
He advised the students’ body to liaise with the state Ministry of Agricultural and Natural Resources for guidance and direction on how the students could benefit from the government’s programme.
Earlier, the president of the association, Mr Harrison Ndifreke, lauded the state government’s efforts at improving agricultural practices in the state.
Ndifreke noted with delight the attempt by the state government to revive cocoa production, expand oil palm plantation and plant coconut plantation in the state.
He said that the executive of agricultural students association was in the office of the Deputy Governor to inform him of the forthcoming agricultural week celebration of the association.
He said that the week had the theme, “Agriculture: A panacea to our economic sustainability.”
Ndifreke, who solicited the assistance of the deputy governor for successful hosting of the week, said that the association would present farming tools to students on internship during the week.
He said that other activities lined up for the week included public lectures, presentation of customised exercise books and erection of billboards by the students. 

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