OBJ lauds Taraba gov’s vision

Posted by admin Governors, Olusegun Obasanjo (1976-79, 99-07), Presidency, State News, Taraba Saturday, August 20th, 2011

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed his happiness over the vision of governor Danbaba Suntai in the agricultural sector.

He stated this in Jalingo when he led an America-based Kenyan, Mr.Calvin on a courtesy call on governor Suntai at government house, Jalingo on Friday.

Chief Obasanjo appreciated the natural endowments in Taraba State, describing it as holding the key to retaining the food basket of the country and called on collective efforts to harness the vast potentials in the interest of the state and the country.

He assured the people that the Kenyan investor was a committed and reliable partner who was ready to assist the state.

The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Adewumi Adesina, who was on Obasanjo’s entourage described Governor Suntai as a dynamic leader whose vision is to advance the fortunes of Taraba state.

He said Nigeria had a lot of potentials, pointing out that those potentials were not enough without the matching support to exploit and tap same for the benefit of Nigerians.

The minister disclosed that N356billion was being spent annually on the importation of rice, stating that Taraba state had the potential to bail the country out of the situation through rice farming.

He said President Jonathan recently launched a four-year rice production policy in the country and assured that Taraba state would have a fair share in the policy.

The America-based Kenyan, Mr. Calvin, expressed surprise at the agriculture potentials in Taraba and assured that he would invest to harness the potentials, particularly in rice production.

Responding, Governor Suntai thanked Chief Obasanjo for the love he had been showing to Taraba State over the years and commended him for the initiatives he put in place while in government to revamp the Agricultural sector.

Governor Suntai said the new arrangement would help reposition Taraba state on the map of the world renowned agricultural locations.

He described the coming of the Kenyan investor to Taraba state as the first major investment in mechanised rice venture in the country and appealed to indigenes of the state to cooperate and support the initiative.

-Tribunewp_posts