Governor Alex Otti has said the Abia State Government is ready to leverage the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industrial Development Initiative to grow the state’s economy and strengthen value addition across key agricultural sectors.
Otti stated this on Wednesday while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industrial Development Initiative, led by its Director, Felix Charles, at the Government House in Umuahia.
The governor said the initiative aligns with his administration’s economic agenda and pledged the readiness of his team to work closely with NAADI.
“We are already looking forward to taking advantage of this,” Otti said.
“I believe that as you sit down with my team, we will begin to unveil the details and know how to work with you to take full advantage of this initiative that you brought.
“One thing I can assure you is that my team is very ready,” he added.
Otti noted that many of the objectives of NAADI were already reflected in his campaign promises and development plans for the state.
“If you have a look at our manifesto and my promise to our people here, you will find that a lot of the things that NAADI targets to achieve have been documented in the manifesto.
“So, I want to thank you very much for your visit and thank you for considering us as a beneficiary,” the governor stated.
He further stressed that countries and states cannot achieve meaningful economic growth by relying solely on the production of raw materials without processing and industrialisation.
According to him, Abia is richly endowed in palm oil, cassava, cocoa, cashew nuts, rubber, leather works, and fabrics, but said the products would add little economic value if they were not processed beyond subsistence production.
Earlier, Charles described NAADI as a Federal Government initiative aimed at promoting agricultural participation, strengthening agro-processing value chains, and improving access to international markets.
He disclosed that the programme had already been established in eight states, adding that Abia would become the ninth state to domesticate and launch the initiative.
Charles also commended Otti’s developmental projects and assured the state government of NAADI’s commitment to partnership.
According to him, Abia would benefit from key pillars of the initiative, including bridging capacity gaps, promoting agribusiness, improving market access, and addressing funding constraints.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu, Chief of Staff Caleb Ajagba, Commissioner for Trade and Commerce Salome Obiukwu, Special Adviser on Trade and Commerce Nwaka Inem, and other senior government officials.