Delta Government on Thursday said it was developing a one-stop-shop Agro-Industrial Park to diversify the country’s economy beyond oil.
Commissioner for Information from the state, Mr Charles Aniagwu, revealed this while addressing journalists after an inspection visit to the Agro-Industrial Park at Aboh-Ogwashi at Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the job was one of the efforts of the government aimed towards diversification of the nation’s market.
“You will remember that during our electioneering campaign in our very first tenure, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa came out with an acronym SMART Agenda where comprises Agricultural reforms and accelerated industrialisation.
“Authorities after authorities had continued to preach diversification without doing much in this way.
“Since we now have a comparative advantage in agriculture from Delta the governor deemed it fit to set this up Agro-Industrial Park and with the high profile Committee, you’ll realise it is not a tea party.
“It will benefit all Deltans irrespective of the place because everybody involved in agricultural production can bring their merchandise for processing.
“This project is a really great step in diversifying the economy through the Agricultural sector,” Aniagwu said.
Chairman of the Implementation Committee, Professor Eric Eboh, said the project review was created to assess the state of work concerning the complete work plan of the undertaking.
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He said the job went through strict feasibility, appraisal and evaluation both national and international procedure with over three foreign banks competing to fund the project.
He noted that the project which started in October has 18 months completion timeline and the Ogwashi-Uku dam was among the critical criteria for the positioning of the Agro-Industrial Park.
Project Advisor, Arch Kester Ifeadi, at a technical short, said the concept of the project began three years ago.
He said the land comprises 220 hectares using 100 hectares of rice farm because of the anchor project and promised that there would be continuous electricity and water distribution at the park.
