The Abia state Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise project for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) has commissioned four new infrastructural agro projects in four local government areas of Abia State.
The Abia LIFE-ND team on Thursday led by the State Project Coordinator(SPC), Dr. Uchenna Rowland Onyeizu, in company of Abia Commissioner for Agriculture, represented by the Director of Agriculture, Dr. Uma Ojo Ojo, and Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Chief Eruba Dimgba, Ph.D, representing Abia State on NDDC Board,
The commissioned projects are; Rice Processing Mill at Amamba Uzuakoli, Bende LGA, Mini Poultry Cluster at Umuajata community in Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA, Oil Palm Processing Mill at Ogwe Asa, Ukwa West LGA and Solar Powered Borehole at Obingwa-obi, Isialangwa South LGA.
Rice Processing Mill at Amamba Uzuakoli, Bende LGA
The commissioning ceremony witnessed by beneficiaries (incubatees), community heads and indigenes was done in a blissful atmosphere signalling a new phase in the life for the incubatees as they expressed contentment during the projects commissioning.
While speaking with newsmen about the project, Dr. Ojo Said the project will bring positive change in the state, while emphasizing that Governor Alex Otti has played his own part by paying the state’s counterpart fund which he described as a booster for project’s achievement in the state. He also applauded LIFE-ND management for the giant strive.
Dr. Uma Ojo Ojo
‘‘LIFE-ND has been very wonderful in all projects handed over to them; I score them 90% in terms of project delivery. They are really doing well as I know that they will continue in their best.’’ Dr, Ojo said.
Dr. Ojo advised the beneficiaries to take the project very serious as they can become whatever they want to be by employing all areas they have been trained. He added that the state government is working very hard to give agriculture further boost in Abia State.
Mini Poultry Cluster at Umuajata community in Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA.
On his part, Dr. Onyeizu emphasized that the commissioning of the agriculture infrastructural project in their community has paved way for the beneficiaries to make more money while calling on others who are interested to indicate interest to be enrolled and trained in the project.
Chief Eruba Dimgba, Ph.D, representing Abia State on NDDC Board, commissioning Oil Palm Processing Mill at Ogwe Community, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State.
Dr. Onyeizu also added that the LIFE-ND project is ongoing in 100 selected communities in Abia state without bias on the enrolment of the beneficiaries as none can claim that they were enrolled into the project without due process.
‘‘It was balloted for over 1,000 communities and we are working only on 100 communities because IFAD fund is limited, and limited with communities we can take’’. Dr. Onyeizu said.
Dr. Onyeizu also enlightened that LIFE-ND is not an infrastructure based project but organised to empower young person’s between the ages of 18-35 years with agricultural trainings and inputs, as well as stipends also referred to as running cost for the beneficiaries to go into agricultural business.
Dr. Onyeizu revealed that the project so far across 100 communities have two poultry house clusters, 45 poultry upgrades, 8 mini tree clusters, 3 mini cassava processing clusters, 2 cassava processing mill clusters, 1 mini rice cluster, 1 main cluster rice processing mill, 3 mini oil palm processing cluster, 3 oil palm processing clusters.
He also added that the project has built two farm roads and developed 90 hectres of land for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the project who are into cassava and rice production.
Dr. Onyeizu revealed that over 4,000 individuals have been empowered by the project while also stating the income achieved by the project so far.
‘‘On cassava alone, a gross income of 88,000,000 (Eighty-eight million) naira and 16.8 million (sixteen million, eight hundred) naira has been recorded for rice gross income, while poultry production has a record of 356.8 million(Three hundred and fifty six million, eight hundred) naira as gross income. Individual profit on record is between 226,000(Two hundred and twenty six thousand) naira for one-off production circle to about 315,000(Three hundred and fifteen thousand) naira per circle’’. Dr. Onyeizu said.
Dr. Onyeizu added that LIFE-ND has also embarked on tree planting which has a record of planting over one million economic trees across Niger Delta region in other to ensure greener environment for the communities as well as replacement of economic trees cut down during clearing for land cultivation.
Dr. Onyeizu thanked Governor Alex Otti for steering the project by paying the counterpart fund of Abia state.
HRH Eze Uchendu Okorie, Ekwo 11 of Akaekwo, Chairman Bende Council of Traditional Rulers and other traditional rulers in the communities who came to witness the commissioning ceremony applauded LIFE-ND project and urged the management in Abia to continue to do more while also thanking Governor Otti for paying the counterpart fund for Abia State.
HRH Eze Uchendu Okorie, Ekwo 11 of Akaekwo, Chairman Bende Council of Traditional Rulers.
Chinasa Kanu, a stakeholder in Amamba Uzuakoli as well as other community stakeholders in the four communities where the projects were commissioned applauded the initiative and also thanked the management of Abia LIFE-ND for making the project realisable.
The beneficiaries of the project while chatting with newsmen about the impact of the training and citing of the project facilities in their community expressed joy and fulfilment witnessing the commissioning of the project in their community.
Some beneficiaries of the LIFE-ND training’s who spoke to newsmen also expressed joy seeing the project commissioned in their community.
A physically challenged beneficiary, Chidinma Iroakasi who spoke to newsmen about the impact of the training said she benefited a lot from the project.
‘‘I have learnt how to plant and process rice. I’m very happy to be a beneficiary of this project’’. Chidinma said.
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