Gov, Willie Obiano
Umueze-Anam (), Member representing Anambra West Constituency in Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr. Patrick Obalum Udoba has distributed hundreds of bundles of high yield cassava stems worth millions of naira to his constituency members.
This is aimed at reducing the impact of the flooding menace that destroyed farm produce including cassava stems stored by farmers.
While handing over the stems to beneficiaries at Umueze-Anam, Mr. Udoba said that the gesture was to enable those of them, mainly farmers, to kick-start the farming season.
“Following flooding that ravaged both farmlands and farm produce in the Local Government Area, people find it difficult to kick start the farming season; this has necessitated distribution of these cassava stems.’’
The lawmaker, who described Anambra West as the food basket of Anambra State, said that the maiden edition, which was held, last year yielded good results, necessitating the need for continuity.
“When we came in last year, we started this program to help our people with quality high yield cassava for their farms, which yielded incredible results; this year we are doing it again and we will continue to do it until we leave the office.
“The 2020 flooding was devastating to my people; it destroyed virtually everything including cassava stems stored by farmers for the current season and that is the reason for the intervention.
“As the food basket of Anambra State, the farmers need to return to their farms and they need to replace the destroyed cassava stems so that they can kick off their farming season without any problem,’’ Udoba said.
The planting season, especially cassava planting begins in November and December every year; the intervention will help them not to feel the adverse effects of the damage caused by flooding.
Mr. Udoba assured people of the area that there were provisions in the 2020/2021 budget for the state government to construct major roads in all communities in the state including Anambra West.
This he said would help for easy transportation of farm produce to markets.
The lawmaker promised to support various efforts of the state government geared toward revitalizing agriculture in the state.
Earlier, the Transition Committee Chairman Anambra West LGA, Mr. Sylvester Orji Okafor, who was represented by Secretary of the LGA, Mr. Alex Okafor, praised the efforts of the lawmaker noting that it would go a long way in reducing the impact of flooding on the people.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Project Monitoring, Mr. Ojukwu Ubakasi said the lawmaker understood the dynamism of the situation by providing the items.
“What Mr. Udoba has done today is a replication of what the state government has done or is doing in the agriculture sector.’’
He assured the people that all ongoing projects in the area would be completed before the expiration of the tenure of the present administration.
Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Roseline Ezendu and Mrs. Adaba Okechukwu, expressed joy at the gesture, praying God to reward the lawmaker.
By Felix Igboanugo
