Abia Begins Recovery of Abandoned Farm Settlements – Gov. Otti

The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has disclosed that the State Government has commenced the process of recovering, reactivating, and repositioning abandoned and underutilised farm settlements across the state.
This was contained in a statement issued by Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
Governor Otti made the disclosure while receiving a delegation of the Executive Management Committee of the Anambra–Imo River Basin Development Authority, led by its Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, who paid him a working visit.
According to the Governor, agriculture remains the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy and a critical pillar for Abia State’s development.
He noted that his administration is deliberately transitioning from subsistence agriculture to commercial and mechanised agriculture driven by a robust value chain.
“I can assure you that we have virtually all the data we require. Some of these farm settlements were established by our forefathers—the Michael Okparas of this world—and were subsequently abandoned or underutilised.
“We have started the process of taking them back, rehabilitating them, and putting them to productive use.
“Agriculture, however you look at it, is the highest employer of labour—not just in Africa, but particularly in Nigeria.
“So, we are transitioning from subsistence farming to commercial and mechanised agriculture with a strong value-chain approach. Instead of selling cocoa beans, we want to sell chocolate,” Governor Otti stated.
The Governor assured the visiting delegation of his administration’s readiness to collaborate with the Anambra–Imo River Basin Development Authority to achieve food sufficiency and accelerate economic growth in the state.
“I want to reassure you that we will be very pleased to work collaboratively with you and your team. We have land, and we will immediately constitute a team to engage with the Board of the Anambra–Imo River Basin Development Authority.
“There is no time to waste. Once you identify the low-hanging fruits, let us start from there and gradually move into more complex areas,” the Governor added.
Governor Otti directed the Commissioners for Agriculture, Lands, and Power & Public Utilities, as well as other relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), to be part of the joint team that would work with the Authority to ensure the success of the collaboration.
He further noted that the state has made significant progress in the area of power but is not yet satisfied.
“We are still pushing forward because power is central to virtually everything we are doing,” he said.
The Governor also acknowledged the personal support he has received from Senator Anosike since 2014 when he joined politics and commended him for his consistent encouragement.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Anambra–Imo River Basin Development Authority and leader of its Executive Management Committee, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, said the delegation was in Abia State to formally present the newly inaugurated Board to the Governor and express their willingness to collaborate with the state government in agriculture and other critical sectors.
“In this country, we have twelve River Basin Development Authorities, and the Anambra–Imo River Basin covers the five states of the South-East geopolitical zone.
“We have decided to visit all the Governors within our operational area. Today, we are in Abia State to discuss collaboration between the Anambra–Imo River Basin and the State Government.
“The South-East Development Commission is also working with us. We have vast land assets suitable for agriculture, and efforts are ongoing to develop most of these locations.
“We have a strong irrigation project in Abia State. In the past, we produced Anambra–Imo rice, Anambra–Imo chicken, Anambra–Imo eggs, and more,” Senator Anosike stated.
He added that beyond agriculture, the Authority is also involved in solar energy projects and other initiatives, noting that “there are numerous areas where collaboration can further bring development closer to Abia State.”
The Governor was accompanied during the visit by the Acting Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Honourable Commissioners for Agriculture, Power and Public Utilities, and Lands, the Director-General of Public-Private Partnerships and Investment Promotion, the Director-General of the Greater Aba Development Authority (GADA), the Director-General of the Greater Ohafia Development Authority (GODA), the General Manager of the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA), and other top government officials.