Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has said that his administration is committed to reclaiming abandoned farm settlements and transforming the state into an agricultural powerhouse.
Otti disclosed this on Tuesday when the management team of the Anambra–Imo River Basin Development Authority (AIRBDA) paid him a courtesy visit in Nvosi, Isialangwa South Local Government Area.
The governor said the Abia State Government was focused on transitioning from subsistence farming to a full agricultural value-chain model, where crops would be processed into finished products.
“We are moving away from what we call subsistence farming to a value-chain approach — from primary production to secondary processing and final products for the market.
“Instead of selling cocoa, we want to be able to sell chocolate,” Otti said.
He said the administration had recorded significant achievements in the power sector, noting that nine of the state’s 17 local government areas now enjoy stable electricity supply, with plans underway to extend reliable power to the remaining areas.
According to him, improved power supply has boosted economic activities, particularly in Aba and Umuahia.
Otti also announced that a joint technical committee would be established, directing key commissioners and the Abia State Investment Agency to work closely with AIRBDA.
Earlier, the Chairman of the AIRBDA Board, Sen. Emmanuel Anosike, described Abia as strategically important to agricultural development in the region.
Anosike stressed the need to restore over 1,300 hectares of idle rice, cassava and fish farms across the South-East geopolitical zone to enhance food security, in line with the mandate of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He added that AIRBDA was also implementing programmes on renewable energy development, particularly solar power.
According to him, the combination of reclaimed farmlands and reliable power supply would position Abia as a hub for modern agriculture.
