The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, is to kick-start an unprecedented oil palm tree planting revolution in the State as part of moves to meet with the agricultural revolution component of the ARISE Agenda.
Governor Eno who made this known in Eket, said the State Committee on Food Security has recommended a template that involves the distribution of improved seedlings, deployment of extension officers in the planting, establishment of an oil palm board, and the off-taking of processed oil from different producers.
The Governor, said the initiative is a way of putting money in the hands of the citizenry, as the improved seedlings have high-yield capacity and would fruit within two years.
He said Akwa Ibom has moved from its pole position as number one to number four in oil palm production and needs to take back its pride of place.
Governor Eno urged the youths to take advantage of the different job opportunities in the State and to desist from complaining about lack of jobs.
“Let our young people stop complaining that there are no jobs. Right now, we are building over 305 houses across this State, and our young people are being engaged and employed. Please find something to do,” he said.
The Governor used the opportunity to clear the air on the empowerment for members of support groups in the State, stressing that the monies in the recently published list of support groups and beneficiaries for the different empowerment packages were not given to group heads or any member of the groups to share, but to individuals who applied through the ARISE portal and had registered members of the support groups.
Governor Eno noted that his administration would continue to give business grants, saying, “What we have decided to do for next year is being worked out in our next year’s budget. We are appraising ₦1 billion per Local Government in our 2026 budget, plus other funds that we are going to send to the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.
“The grants through this will only be obtained through the Government’s portal by those who have registered and have never gotten one before,” he stressed.
The Governor said his administration has made efforts to maintain peace in the State and expressed disappointment at some high-profile personalities in the State who pride themselves as members of certain cult groups, warning that the ban on cultism is still operational and that defaulters would be tried accordingly.
