No Justice, No Peace Initiative, a group in Delta state has called on the Delta State Government to invest more in agriculture as it is an alternative to crude oil.
In a statement released yesterday, The National Coordinator of the group, Comr. (Amb.) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen said.
that agriculture provides opportunities for economic equity and helps people prosper.
“Delta State, since 1999, has poorly given attention to agriculture and natural resources but are focused on how one man could loot public funds through activities of crude oil, putting aside agriculture.
“Considering the roles agriculture plays, as an important role in national food industries, the agricultural sector is where we have comparative advantage in Delta State. The number one area we have comparative advantage is cassava because all the 25 LGAs are into cassava farming, cassava processing and cassava trading.
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“Cassava can be processed into many things, such as fufu, cassava chips, garri, cassava flour, cassava starch, etc.
“Delta State is seen to be blessed with very rich soil conducive for growing virtually every crop, with most of the cassava farmers producing Garri. Garri is a white or yellow granule that can be eaten directly.
“What has stopped the Delta State Government from producing, owning garri processing factories across different areas in the State, selling to residents at low cost? Garri is one of the staple foods in Nigeria that cuts across all tribes and almost all Deltans rely and feed on garri for survival, on a daily basis. Garri is one of many different kinds of food products that can be produced from fresh cassava roots.” The statement read in part.
They called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration to take advantage of the present economic challenges to pay more attention to agriculture, while producing local food products to residents it will be sold at fixed prices and regulate the general prices for traders and sellers to sell to the populace in the market at specific prices.
They recognized food as a basic human rights of the people, urging government at all levels to stop denying the people access to food. According to them, the past governments had failed in the area of boosting the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources as they their plans ended in the media.
