The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has assured 300 beneficiaries of the state-sponsored ‘Modern Agricultural Skills and Practices Training Programme’ at CSS Integrated Farms, Nasarawa State, of the state government’s support to enable them to hit the ground running immediately.
Governor Otti gave the assurance during the graduation and passing out ceremony of the trainees, which the governor personally attended, underscoring the strategic importance of the agricultural sector to his administration.
Otti said, “As a government, we will do everything possible to support you to set up. Just a moment ago, I was asking Prof. John-Kennedy Opara, what would be the best way to support you so that you will hit the ground running immediately, and he shared a few ideas with me and I told him that we will work together to ensure you lack nothing to be able to set-up.
“As I said before, when Prof. Opara visited us and many of you were in the room that day, this is the most important sector of our economy. Talking about food security, everything you do is around being alive and the only way you will be alive is if you can eat. If you don’t have anything to eat, it’s a matter of time before you die, so we take it very, very seriously.”
Congratulating the 300 beneficiaries of the training, Otti expressed the optimism that they would put into practice, the things they have learnt and also help in training others as they return home.
He said, “I want to congratulate all of you for successfully passing through the training and I have no doubt that as you come back home, you will be useful, not just to your immediate family and community, but also to the state and humanity.”
He urged the beneficiaries to pass down the knowledge and skills acquired to others on their return to Abia State, commending them for being good ambassadors of Abia State.
The governor also expressed deep appreciation to the management and staff of CSS Global Integrated Farms for the job well done in training the beneficiaries.
The member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa, was in the governor’s team to the farm.
Earlier, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of CSS Global Integrated farms, Prof. Opara gave a run-down of the training highlights.
The event also featured the presentation of gifts and certificates to the beneficiaries.
Each of the beneficiaries was given an electronic tablet containing everything they had learnt for easy reference and revision.
The beneficiaries expressed their profound gratitude to the governor for the life-changing opportunity and thanked the management and staff of CSS Global Integrated Farms for exposing them to modern agricultural skills and techniques.
They promised to put into practice what they have learnt and also train others.