BY CHARLES ASOLUKA
The
present dire economic situation in the country which is largely attributable to
the crash of the global crude oil price presents a period of great
introspection and strategic thinking. Consequently, several visionary leaders
and patriotic Nigerians have joined voices in calling for genuine
diversification of the country’s economy, with more emphasis on agriculture.
Indeed, such calls have become compelling more than ever before in light of
these enormous economic challenges facing the nation and the great potential of
the agricultural sector in providing employment opportunities to our teaming
youth.
It
is therefore in response to the above situation and the determination of the
various governments, federal and state, to improve the sector and expand its
productive capacity as a necessary in put in food production and poverty
reduction that many state governments which hitherto had relied heavily on
federal government monthly allocations, and which are currently faced with
reduced revenue as a result of the dwindling economic fortunes of the country,
are presently trying to be creative in this direction.
However,
the situation in Imo is almost music to the ears of many, as the futuristic and
visionary people’s governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha,who foresaw the need to
earnestly and genuinely embark on diversifying the state’s economy as early as
the beginning of his first term in office in 2011. In full realization of the
fact that the capacity of the state’s economy to ensure adequate food security
and drive the export sector is highly dependent on the aggressive development
of the agricultural sector in the state, and in further consideration of the
reality that palm oil production constituted a corner stone of Igbo economy
before the discovery of crude, and was in fact an integral part of the drive
for the reduction of poverty and enhancement of economic growth and prosperity,
the governor embarked on a massive conscientization of the people of the state
on the urgent need to rely less on petro-dollar and more on agro-dollar.
Unarguably,
palm oil has the potential to create a sustainable vibrant economy. According
to World Bank records, it accounts for 34% of the world’s annual total
vegetable oil production and 63% of the global exports of vegetable oils. Palm
oil is actively produced in 42 countries of the world. South East Asian countries
of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand account for 90% of global production.
Nigeria, which produced the entire palm sold in the world market in 1901 and up
to the 1960’s, is currently the 3rd largest producer after Indonesia
and Malaysia, producing a mere 1.7% of total world production, which is hardly
adequate for local need. As a result, the country has had to rely heavily on
import as it can hardly satisfy local demand.
It
is therefore in an effort to reclaim this lost glory and the need to re-awaken
the people’s consciousness in going back to their roots that the governor
launched a massive campaign on the urgency in and importance of revamping the
palm oil sector. The governor’s call gained serious momentum early in his
administration, as he successfully sold the noble vision to the people of the
state. Consequently, he developed a simple but effective slogan, IkuolaNkwu-meaning,
have you planted a palm, and an injunction, KuonuNkwu, which means,
plant a palm. These, sooner than later almost became a state anthem and every
day greeting among ordinary Imo folks.
Fortunately for the government, the programme has continued to resonate
among the entirety of Imo people as many of them understood the governor’s
direction and the compelling need to aggressively diversify the palm economy of
the state.
The
highly resourceful governor did not stop at sloganeering as many of his
predecessors did on several policy issues, but followed it up with concrete and
actionable programmes that were intended to make the state the leading producer
of oil palm and other derivatives from it. In this direction, he articulated a
policy that aimed at implementing the planting of 3million improved variety of
palm seedlings in three years across the state. In quick succession, he also
launched the Back to Land, Palm to Palm programme which was designed to
transform the state’s economy through rapid expansion and modernization of the
palm industry.
As
a further evidence of his determination to turn around the economic base of the
state, the vision bearing governor also realised the futility of the state
clinging on to ADAPALM, (which he had already renamed Imo Palm Plantation),
when it is obvious that the state lacks the capacity to properly manage it,
given its experience in the past. Hence, without wasting time, he mustered a
rare political will and courage which apparently were lacking inpast leadership
of the state, and entered into a lease agreement of the hitherto moribund
establishment with The Roche Group. The fifteen year lease generated a whopping
2.3b naira to the state. The governor had once spoken in glowing terms about
this policy masterstroke and the subsequent financial windfall that came from
it when he said, ‘my administration made the first internally generated revenue
in three months through the oil palm when it leased out Imo palm Plantation to
private investors and the money realised from this venture is what is being
used to build 305 new school buildings of 12 classroom blocs in the 305
political wards of the state’
The
governor’s commitment to ensuring that this policy is realised was further
boosted when he provided a grant of 3.3m naira to each traditional ruler in the
637 autonomous communities in the state for the purpose of cultivating the new
improved palm seedlings which the government had earlier provided, as well as
the establishment of local oil mills for oil palm extraction. Communities that
were able to procure expansive parcels of land for this project are already
running with it, while those constrained are making do with small holdings and
still exploring opportunities for bigger acreages.
There
is indeed no doubt that an aggressive development of the palm oil industry is
an effective tool in wealth creation, massive employment, youth empowerment,
accelerated rural development and poverty reduction. This is mainly as a result
of the many uses of palm oil and its derivatives. For instance, palm kernel
cake which is a by-product of the residue after oil extraction, is quite useful
in feeding livestock. The palm fronds are useful in making mats, brooms,
baskets etc., while the tree can either be tapped for wine, which is a rich
source of yeast, or used as a support for buildings.
When
palm wine is allowed to ferment and distilled, it yields ogogoro or local gin.
Also the empty bunch when dried and processed, is used in the preparation of
local delicacies like ugba, abacha etc. Palm fruits fibre which comes after oil
extraction isalso used for making foot mats, brushes, fuel, mulching and
manuring of crops, while the palm kernel shell is used for checking flooding,
decoration and landscaping etc. More importantly, the kernel has several uses- among
which are; oil extract or what is locally called elu-aki is a potent remedy
for convulsion, much as it is useful for several other industrial purposes. As
a result, a massive palm oil revolution in the state is all gain for farmers,
their dependants, communities and governments. This particularly so as the
present Government of OwelleRochasOkorocha is determined to raise the
industrial base of the state through the establishment of rural small scale
factories across the 305 political wards of the state.
These
facts account for the Rescue Mission government’s commitment tothe on-going
policy implementation aimed at encouraging agro-based cottage industries in the
state. For instance, the Imo young Millionaires Club programme is one of such
initiatives whose objective is to encourage the youth to venture into
agriculture with the aim of eradicating unemployment and over reliance on
government for job creation. Government is also committed to ensuring that the
establishment of community based industries will have the capacity to employ at
least ten persons from each community. Already, the Governor has set aside the
sum of 10m naira per community for this laudable initiative. With a total of
637 autonomous communities in the state, the programme is expected to absorb no
less than 6, 370 people. Hence, besides creating career opportunities for our
youth, the programme will also lead to increase in food production. It is
therefore the determination of the present government of the state to harness
every available resource to increase agricultural productivity and rural
income.There is therefore no doubt that the palm revolution is an integral part
of the government’s policy direction to develop the internal capacity of the
state in order to implement economically sustainable
policies particularly in the agricultural sector of the economy.
PHOTO: Gov Rochas Okorocha Of Imo State
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