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<strong>WEEKLY</strong> NEWS Vol. 3 No. 3. Mon. Feb. 20 - Sun. Feb. 26, 2017 Ruth Obot In furtherance of its cocoa revolution programme, the state government has reiterated its support for cocoa farmers to enable them realize consistent high yields. The commissioner for agriculture and food sufficiency, Dr. Uduak Udo-Inyang, stated this when he met with members of Cocoa Association of Nigeria, CAN, Akwa Ibom chapter in his office. Noting that cocoa is of high value in the international market, he said supporting cocoa farmers to achieve high yields is a necessary step towards boosting the revenue of the state. He observed that cocoa planted under definite and approved condition will catapult Akwa Ibom into one of the top cocoa producing states in the country, disclosing that Governor Udom Emmanuel administration accords priority to issues of cocoa production in the State. The commissioner recalled that Governor Udom Emmanuel personally flagged-off cocoa maintenance scheme in Ini and Ikono local government areas in 2016 and pledged government readiness to collaborate with members of CAN in Akwa Ibom for optimal yields at all times. The chairman of Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom chapter, Bishop Micheal Udo Akpan, while thanking God for the appointment of Dr. Udo-Inyang by Governor Udom Emmanuel, called for greater partnership with the state government, especially in registration by the state ministry of Agriculture for trade mark, seal and accreditation with appropriate federal agencies. In a related development, the commissioner, Dr. Udo- Inyang has reiterated government's determination to ensure that all ventures and necessary steps taken to Govt Reiterates Support for Cocoa Farmers Dr. Uduak Charles Udo-Inyang Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Sufficiency boost agricultural revolution in the state are given priority attention. He stated this when he received members of the board of commercial farm committee from Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin, on a courtesy call in his office. According to the Agric Boss, ensuring food security and diversification of the economy cannot be toyed with given the prevailing economic situation in the country and lauded the vice chancellor of AKSU, Professor Eno Ibanga and members of the board for the initiative to privatize agricultural research and development in the institution. The vice chancellor, Akwa Ibom state university, Professor Eno Ibanga, in his address, felicitates the commissioner on his appointment and thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for appointing one of their own from academic field as the commissioner for agriculture, indicating that the governor made the right choice. According to the vice chancellor, Dr. Udo- Inyang is known as a performer, to whom the food sufficiency Ministry will not be too hard to handle stressing that his visit was also to intimate the commissioner on how far the committee had gone with mechanized farming. He expressed the readiness of the board to partner with the ministry in the area of feed production for fish, chicken, pig and others, added that the board required the help of the ministry to properly position the institution in terms of practical agriculture. The permanent secretary in the ministry, Elder Wisdom Ekpo who appreciated the vice chancellor and team, said the ministry will provide support in all possible ways, with the advice of technical expertise to move the agricultural sector of the state forward. 12
<strong>WEEKLY</strong> NEWS Vol. 3 No. 3. Mon. Feb. 20 - Sun. Feb. 26, 2017 Boundary Skirmishes: Akwa Ibom, Abia Deputy Governors Sue for Peace Inibehe Etuk The people of Ikot Udo Ika in Ika local government area of Akwa Ibom and Akirika Obu Ndoki in Ukwa East local government area of Abia state, have been implored to live in peace in order to enhance the rapid development of the areas. The call was made by the deputy governors of Akwa Ibom and Abia states, Mr. Moses Ekpo and Rt. (Hon) Udeh Ogochukwu, when they jointly visited the areas to ascertain the cause of a perceived boundary encroachment between the two communities. Addressing the people, Mr. Moses Ekpo said Mr. Moses Ekpo Deputy Governor, Akwa Ibom State the visit was not to settle any boundary dispute as inter- state boundary matters are domiciled with the National Boundary Commission but to advise both communities to embrace peace, adding that there was no cause to antagonize each other as the two communities have existed as kith and kin over time. According to Mr. Moses Ekpo, who is also the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Boundary Committee, the boundary disagreement was uncalled for since the road construction in question was not a project of Akwa Ibom State government but rather a federal government project. He advised that if the road would be the only federal government project the two states would enjoy after a long absence of federal projects, they should allow the project to be completed, adding that the road would be of immense benefit to the two communities. The Akwa Ibom deputy governor reiterated the need for peaceful co-existence while pointing out that the governments of Akwa Ibom and Abia are currently negotiating with the federal government to jointly repair the failed federal roads connecting the two states. Speaking earlier, the deputy governor of Abia state, Sir Udeh Ogochukwu, said the meeting was necessitated by a perceived encroachment into Abia by the Ika people of Akwa Ibom and the need to ascertain the cause of the disagreement noting that the two states being brothers and sisters should not be found in dispute overs boundaries. The Abia state deputy governor urged the representatives from the warring communities to refrain from the use of inciting Rt. Hon. Sir Ude Oko Chukwu Deputy Governor, Abia State words but devise means for peaceful coexistence through use of civil language that will engender love and unity to prevent further escalation of the dispute. Also speaking, the Akwa Ibom State commissioner of police, represented by the deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations, Abdulmumini M. Gimba, charged the communities to live in peace stressing that the law enforcement agencies were on hand to ensure that the situation does not escalate out of hand. As part of measures to resolve the crisis, a nineman committee was set up comprising three persons from each of the two states. The members which among others include: the chairmen of Ukwa East and Ika local government areas, the divisional police officers of Ika and Ukwa East, an officer from the army base at Ika and two persons each from the two sides. The terms of reference of the committee included among others, to authenticate the source of the road contract within three days from the date of the assignment. The highpoint of the visit was the inspection of the road under construction and the visit to the military base in Ika local government area. 13
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