BY Raymond Ozoji, Awka
Following acute hunger, deprivation and untold hardships staring Nigerians in the face which has therefore culminated into a nationwide protest for citizens to vent their spleens on the powers that be, the lawmaker representing Ihiala Two State Constituency in the 8th assembly, Hon. Golden Chukwuebuka Iloh has proposed a motion for the establishment of agricultural cum industrial hubs in the 21 local government areas of Anambra State.
The motion which called on Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Commissioners of Land, Agriculture and Industry to acquire lands and gazette such lands as government properties, also has it that such lands if provided will enable people to go into agriculture as a business venture not just an art.
Iloh who shed more light on the motion, said that such policy if implemented, will further deepen the Think Home Philosophy of the present administration as more people will come home to invest in various aspects of agriculture and rural farmers too, according to him, will have access to arable lands to farm devoid of disputes from land owners.
He said if the state government considers the provision of lands for agricultural purposes coupled with amenities, such steps would be veritable means to fight as well as wrestle hunger and food insecurity to a standstill in the state.
The lawmaker noted that the likelihood of Anambra State being the food basket of the Southeast region can not be overemphasized because the governor, he said, has already began agricultural revolution in the state with the distribution of hybrid farm seedlings; noting that the acquisition of lands for farming will entrench large scale food production in the state thereby encouraging exports to other states in the region and beyond.
Iloh also disclosed that the state government is already fighting and suppressing unknown gunmen thereby reclaiming the forests and bushes where such lands maybe mapped out for the establishment of the agricultural and industrial layouts.
Although the lawmaker stated that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo was already working on creating industrial hubs in some areas, he was of the opinion that that there was need to take it to the doorsteps of prospective and potential investors through the creation of the industrial and agricultural hubs in all the 21 LGAs for reasons of proximity.
Iloh who is the House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Power and Water Resources, maintained that the need for the state government to consider acquiring lands strictly for agricultural purposes is of paramount importance as such would help a great deal to fight and defeat hunger, adding that hunger strike is worst than the menace of unknown gunmen.
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