Abia Governor Otti Moves to Boost Agriculture, Urges Presco to Begin Investment at Ulonna Farm Settlement

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has announced plans to harness the state’s agricultural potential to drive industrialisation, achieve food self-sufficiency and make Abia a net exporter of agricultural produce.

Otti also called on Presco Plc, a Nigerian agro-industrial company specialising in oil palm cultivation and processing, to commence its proposed investment at the government-owned Ulonna Farm Settlement in Umuahia.

The governor disclosed plans to establish a steering committee comprising representatives of the state government, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), PAYAZA Africa Limited and other stakeholders. He will chair the committee, which is expected to develop a framework for exploiting Abia’s agricultural advantages.

He made the announcement on Thursday during the third Michael Okpara Memorial Lecture Series at MOUAU, Umudike. Otti said the state intended to build on the agricultural vision of the late Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara, former Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, by combining it with modern technology and innovation.

According to the governor, the committee will identify crops and agricultural commodities suited to Abia, while recommending the investments, infrastructure and technological solutions required to develop them into commercially viable ventures. He also welcomed a proposal to establish an Agricultural Technology Hub at the university.

“We may not go back to what Michael Okpara did in his days. We want to take it to this level now, where we introduce technology, and we don’t only want to be self-sufficient in food production; we want to be a net exporter of food from Abia State,” Otti said.

Separately, the governor received a delegation from Presco Plc, led by its Chairman, Rasheed Sarumi, at Government House, Umuahia, where he encouraged the company to begin its proposed project at Ulonna. He said the settlement had approximately 4,200 hectares of government-owned land, leaving slightly less than 6,000 hectares to be secured if the company’s target was 10,000 hectares.

Otti acknowledged concerns over some community lands being considered for the investment and urged Presco to work through community leaders to resolve disputes and address fears of land grabbing. He assured the company that his administration would facilitate access to the additional land required, while noting that the process would take time.

Earlier, Sarumi expressed confidence in the proposed investment, saying Abia had a government that understood business. At the memorial lecture, MOUAU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, also highlighted the role of agriculture in economic growth, job creation and industrial development, while lecturer Seyi Ebenezer urged young Nigerians to embrace technology and modern business models in farming.