The ARISE Agenda of Governor Umo Eno prioritize agriculture before industrialization in Akwa Ibom State. This is carefully chosen to address the current food crisis and inflation that have put many Nigerians in dire conditions. Also, agriculture is believed to drive youth employment faster to curtail the high unemployment ratio attributed to the oil rich state.
In a recent move to actualize her tall dream, the Akwa Ibom State government indicated her readiness to partner Bertola Machine Tools Limited to enhance food production in the state through mechanized farming.
The state governor, Umo Eno, made this known when he visited the company’s Uyo office at Ifa Atai, Airport Road, on a facility tour and inspection of purpose-built machines and tools for agricultural activities.
He affirmed that at a time when the state government, as part of its agricultural revolution drive towards ensuring food sufficiency in the state was planning to set up equipment leasing services to make some basic machines available and accessible for farmers, Bertola would be a dependable partner.
The governor commended the consistency of Bertola Machine Tools Limited in the equipment and machinery industry and for maintaining its trademark of integrity in its dealings across the nation over the years.
He directed the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Offiong Offor, and her Works and Fire Service counterpart, Professor Eno Ibanga, to draw up modalities for government partnership with the company to avail farmers in the state machines for basic farm operations.
“As part of our agricultural revolution, we are setting up an equipment leasing company to provide and support farmers in Akwa Ibom. That is why we are here.
“We are talking about agric revolution, and if someone has what we want to achieve this vision, we need to patronize and support him,” he stated.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bertola Machine Tools Limited, Evangelist Albert Inyang, who showed the governor around the facilities, lauded the honest intentions of Governor Eno for Akwa Ibom people, which he said, has been clearly demonstrated in his pursuit of live-touching projects and programmes.
While commending the governor’s commitment to agriculture, Evangelist Inyang said his company will be delighted to partner government to avail the state of the supply of agro-based machines, training of technicians to operate the machines as well as fabricating some light tools to enhance farming activities.
While the agricultural dreams of the state government is appreciated by most farmers, some farmers warned against giving services to political farmers, prevention of greedy middlemen and profiteers in government parastatals. The farmers claimed that past governments’ lofty agricultural programmes failed because of insensitivity and inadequate monitoring.
