Quote:The Federal Government of has procured agricultural produce processing machines and equipment worth over N643 million for farmers in the South East geopolitical Zone.


The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, Honourable Linus Abaa Okorie, disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday during an inspection of some of the equipment at Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Abakaliki and at the Enugu zonal office of the Ministry of Agriculture.


He noted that that apart from the machines, which were aimed at stepping up Agricultural Produce Value Chain Businesses in the South East Zone, the Committee had also sent a new crop called Jatrufa to the Zone.


Speaking further restated the determination of his committee towards ensuring that Federal government’s policies on food security were actualized


The South-East Regional Director Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Nnamdi Ibezim, commended the Lawmaker for ensuring that the machines were delivered and assured him that they would be equitably distributed.


Some of the machines and equipment at the Ministry’s office in Abakaliki and its Regional office in Enugu included five tractors, 10 units of palm oil processing plant, hammer mill used in yam, banana and plantain processing, eleven units of cassava processing plants hydraulic presser, cashew processor and electric kettle among others.


Hon. Okorie also inspected the level of works on the ongoing reconstruction of Erueru and Umubo Bridges along Okposi-Onicha-Isu-Nara Road while the construction of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre as well as ICT Training facility in Onicha had commenced.


INDEPENDENT gathered that Hon. Okorie who represents Ohaozara, Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency attracted the machines and equipment.