As Akwa Ibom prepare to celebrate coconut day on Tuesday, an aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel Mr Essien Ndueso has attributed the surge in the planting of coconut in the state to the presence of Africa’s biggest coconut refinery in the area.
This is even as farming communities in Ikono Local Council who benefitted from the recent road construction projects after more than fifty years have lauded the governor for boosting their farming business by creating access for the evacuation of their produce.
Ndueso, who is the Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation told correspondents on inpection of one of the feeder roads in Ikono that the coconut refinery with a capacity to process one million nuts per day have energized and encouraged rural farmers to either increase or start planting, with many schools also now part of the coconut revolution because of a ready market.
The coconut day he said is meant to further raise awareness on the subject and to encourage local farmers to take advantage of the profitability of the commodity in the international market and the presence of a ready buyer to increase the quantity and quality of their coconut farming.
“Tomorrow has been observed for the last seven years as coconut day in Akwa Ibom. So, the governor will use the opportunity to flag off more coconut plantations in the state to boast the raw materials for coconut oil factory, that flag off will take place Ini local government area.
“Last year you can recall that the governor planted over 300 seedlings in his own farm, Local Government chairmen also joined in the exercise, tomorrow we will have more seedlings planted in Itumbunuzo in Ini.” Ndueso explained.
Meanwhile, a female councillor in Ikono Local Council, Miss Nsikak Williams have on behalf of the people of Nung Ukim Ikono lauded the Governor for the construction of a 3.34km Nung Ukim Ikono Akpa Etok- Nung Ukim Ikot Ekpang with spur to Ibiaku Ntuk Okpo road that has been unpassable for more than 50 years.
Williams who was flanked by youth leaders and elders of the community told newsmen who inspected the road billed to be commissioned on Tuesday that the road has significantly improved the fortunes of farmers from the area as they now have a better access for evacuation of their farm produce.
She said that the road which also linked another major road leading to the state College of Arts and Science, Nung Ukim, has also opened up the area for cottage industries in line with the industrialization agenda of the Governor adding that the community already has a committee in place to secure the street lights on the road.
“The farmers and the community in general are so happy with the governor for the road.The road was so bad before, there were lots of accidents and farmers were not able to access their farms. Even the buyers could not access the roads but now all these things are things of the past. The road has a lot of economic benefit.
“On maintaining thw road and street lights, we have a committee that is responsible for cleaning the area, you saw the men with their cutlasses cutting grasses. There is no issue of vandalism in my area because the youths protect government properties.
