The Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has commenced his planned cash crop revolution programme in the state with an order for the distribution of millions of coconut and palm seedlings procured by the state government to farmers across the state.
The state government has also constituted a committee drawn from the three senatorial zones of the state to map out strategies for distributing the coconut and palm seedlings.
Those were some of the resolutions reached in this week’s State Executive Council meeting held on Monday at the Government House, Awka, the Anambra State capital, according to the state’s Commissioner for information, Mr Paul Nwosu.
Soludo had at several times and fora described coconut and palm economy as a major game changer in terms of diversification of sources of foreign exchange in the state.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Nwosu said the resolutions were in furtherance to Soludo’s plans to reenact some of the agricultural policies of the first Republic Premier of the Eastern region, the late Dr Michael Okpara.
He also said the boards and governing councils of government departments and agencies had been dissolved with immediate effect, stating that they had been directed to hand over to the most senior civil servants in their organisations.
Nwosu said, “In furtherance of government policy to re-enact the prosperous era of Chief M.I Okpara in the old Eastern region when cash crops were the main source of revenue, Anambra State Executive Council has constituted a committee drawn from the three Senatorial zones to map out strategies for distributing the millions of coconut and palm seedlings which have been procured.”
“When we discovered crude oil, we abandoned palm oil and now that crude oil is out, we have to go back to the basics which is palm economy. Beyond the palm, we are also going into coconut economy. We have ordered for a million of coconut and palm seeds.
“The newly confirmed Transition Committee Chairmen will be inaugurated on the 2nd of August, 2022. They will return to the their various LGAs where they will in turn inauguate their various councillors. Arrangement is underway to hold a retreat for the Transition Committee Chairmen and their principal officers.
” ANSEC formally terminated the contract awarded to Messrs Rockland Development Ltd to construct the Ministry of Housing main office complex at Jerome Udorji Secretariat, Awka. Valued at N33,253,119,66, the contract was cancelled due to lack of execution of the job on the part of the contractor and ANSEC has resolved to take necessary steps to recover the said amount paid to the contractor.
“The Attorney General of the state presented a memo that seeks to reform major aspects of the dispensation of justice. She called for the building of model Juvenile Delinquent facility in line with international standards. Presently, non of such facility exists in the South East.
“She also proposed that the state justice system be digitized for quick dispensation of justice. To this end, she is pushing for the staff of the Ministry of justice and the judiciary to undergo digital training by computer experts. ANSEC was also informed that the Ministry of Justice is working to establish designated courts to expeditiously dispense with sexual related offences.”