Business
Let’s Partner to Transform The Niger Delta into a Massive Agricultural Hub – Al Humphrey Onyanabo, CEO Majestic Agricultural Hub, pleads
As the current political dispensation slowly winds down, key state actors in the Niger Delta have been advised to consider transforming the oil rich region into a Massive Agricultural Hub in view of the dwindling fortunes from crude oil sales and it’s effect on the economy of the nation.
Speaking to Reporters, Mr Al Humphrey Onyanabo, CEO of Majestic Farms and Good Processing Co. Ltd, promoters of the Majestic Agricultural Hub project sais,
” Our region and indeed Nigeria needs to have a total rethink about food security and economic survival. By 2030 zero emission will be adopted by the major world powers which means oil will no longer be needed to power machinery and vehicles as they transmit to alternative energy and electric cars. It will be a disaster if we are caught napping. We must therefore wake up and find alternative sources of survival, Agriculture is a viable option and the transition can happen fast if action is taken now.”
Mr Onyanabo further said,
” we have made attempts in the past with successive regimes in the Niger Delta and across Nigeria to partner with us to set up massive integrated farms in their regions . As another circle of politiking commences, we resume our appeal to key actors in the political space to partner with us to transform the Niger Delta into an agricultural hub”.
How It Will Work
Mr Al Humphrey Onyanabo revealed that The Majestic Agricultural Hub, a developmental project, the first of its kind in the country, shall comprise of a network of integrated state – of- the- art farms spread across different states interconnected with their host communities through a vast web of ‘Partnership Farms’ operated by youths and women and cooperatives where output is channeled through a central storage and processing system that assures them of a regular income unaffected by the vagaries of market forces year round. He also said,
” The HUB, shall supply them with improved seedlings, farming implements and teach improved farming techniques to help them improve their yields.
The Majestic Agricultural Hub will play a big brother role to galvanize farming activities throughout the region into one huge year round enterprise that profits and prospers all”.
He also said,
“Most importantly, the HUB will ensure that our men, women and youth interested in farming stay back in the villages to pursue their dreams knowing they do not really miss much by coming to overcrowded city centers.
The Majestic Agricultural Hub will re-enforce backward integration and we are consumed with the vision that the future of our great country rests on our people going back to the land.
“We therefore see ourselves as partners for development in helping to provide food security and jobs for local people, both skilled and unskilled, where ever we operate. We harbor a deep seated and abiding faith in the Nigerian entrepreneurial spirit and the ability of Nigerians to excel at every given tasks or venture”.
The benefits of the project for every state are myriad.
The HUB he revealed ,will create over 200,000 jobs in three years for both skill and unskilled workers per state. Thousands of jobs will also be created through the second degree marketing of our products. Furthermore, there will be vast openings for transporters, food sellers, and artisans in the state such as carpenters, painters, bricklayers, electricians etc and such ancillary service providers as advertising and. The HUB will open a flood of opportunities into each state where the hub is located like never before that will directly affect the masses.
” We will set up a local fabrication yard to encourage entrepreneurs’ have access to affordable industrial machinery built locally and fixed locally.
“We will set up technical training centers to train youths in specific technical vocations that will ensure they will have up to date technical skills.
Part of our rural integration scheme will be keeping our employees in our various farms feeling fully at home where they work. We shall commence the development of a 100 bungalow housing estate for each hub.
” Each of our housing estates will have a day care, nursery/primary school, a general sports and recreation center, veterinary clinic and a Health Centre for staff and our host communities”.
Speaking further the Chief Executive said all they require from a partner state or community or local government is land, security and an enabling environment for an enterprise to thrive,
“Each hub will be about 20,000 hectares either in one location or scattered across four local governments or communities. We will provide in totality the finance for take off, equipments and technology and the also foreign technical assistance modern farming methods which will be passed on to our youths. Each Hub shall be superintended by a Special Purpose Vehicle,SPV, with all stakeholders accommodated”