By Sunday Apah
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, announced on Tuesday that his administration plans to harness the transformative potential of Special Agricultural Economic Zones to create over 50,000 jobs, aimed at enhancing the well-being and economic prosperity of the state’s residents.
Governor Oborevwori emphasized that this initiative would not only bolster food security and agro-processing but also stimulate employment, increase export earnings, and drive infrastructural development, ultimately benefiting the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The Governor made this known during a meeting at Government House in Asaba with officials from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI), led by Dr. Chuma Ezedinma.
He expressed gratitude to the delegation for selecting Delta State as one of the successful candidates for the program, assuring them of his administration’s commitment to ensuring its success.
“I welcome you all on this final mission to assess our readiness for the establishment and implementation of the Transformational Integrated Special Agricultural Processing Zone, for which Delta State has been shortlisted for the second phase,” he stated.
Governor Oborevwori highlighted Delta’s rich agricultural land, suitable for cultivating palm fruits, cassava, maize, yams, plantains, and various vegetables, asserting that the Special Agricultural Processing Zone would be a strategic and successful addition to the state’s agricultural landscape.
“The Special Agricultural Processing Zone is vital to our strategy for transforming and strengthening Delta’s agricultural ecosystem,” he added. “We aim to attract, engage, and certify farms and agro value chains to the highest standards, utilizing the African Development Bank’s framework.”
He also expressed hope for continued support from the bank to bring the project to fruition, pledging that his government would fulfill all necessary requirements to realize this vision.
Dr. Ezedinma, meanwhile, commended Delta State for its innovative Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) model, which he described as unique and a benchmark for others.
“Delta State has established an Economic Zone Management Company tasked with overseeing the industrial zones. The state’s Public Private Partnership approach aligns with the bank’s objectives, and we look forward to seeing this model facilitate the development of these industrial zones, with the state taking the lead in providing a conducive environment while the bank offers catalytic financing,” he said.
Additionally, Pastor Godwin Akpovie, Managing Director and CEO of the Delta State Free Trade Zone, noted that initiatives such as the Free Trade Zone Operations Centre in Kwale and the Osubi Agro Transformation Centre, among others in Isoko and Agbor, are projected to generate over 50,000 jobs for the people of Delta State.
