Date: 2010-07-25

An Inter-ministerial Committee is to be set up by the Federal Government to identify the challenges facing Cocoa production and proffer immediate solution to stimulate mass production of Cocoa in the Country.

Nigeria’s President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan GCFR, disclosed this in Ilorin , the Kwara State capital at the weekend while declaring closed the 6th National Cocoa Day celebration.

The proposed committee, according to him, which is to be coordinated by the Minister of Agriculture, would be comprised of the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Export Promotion Council.

Members of the inter-ministerial committee are also expected to meet with the Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria to discuss the modalities and report back to the president within the next six weeks.

President Jonathan, who was represented at the occasion by his Vice, Architect Namadi Sambo, also advocated proper management of cocoa in order to contribute immensely to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide employment opportunities for the teeming youths.

He described agriculture as a veritable tool of reducing poverty, noting that if carefully planned and harnessed with government policies at all levels adequately implemented, the sector was capable of addressing the twin challenges of poverty and unemployment.

Dr Jonathan, however, commended the Kwara State Governor, Dr Bukola Saraki for his commitment to agricultural development in the State and enjoined him to do more.

While also congratulating the governor on his conferment with the merit award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), the President expressed hope that farmers in the State with the support of government would ensure that the state attains the status of a major cocoa producing state in no distant time.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Profesor Ahmad Abdullah OON, in his closing remark urged the Federal Government to revive the lost glory of Cocoa and exploit its potentials.

Prof. Abdullah also called for the use of mechanization to encourage the production of Cocoa in larger tones to meet both local demand and exports for foreign exchange earnings.

In his welcome address, the host Governor, Dr BukolaSaraki advised governments at all levels to provide enabling environment to facilitate full participation of all the stakeholder to drastically increase cocoa production, processing and export.

The Governor, who expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for giving the State the hosting right, emphasized the need to strengthen cocoa farmers’ field schools in the 14 producing states to give way for successor generation of cocoa farmers who would take over from the present ageing population of cocoa farmers.

Dr Saraki described the 3-day event as a symbol of the vision of participating states to transform the country from a mono economy to a diversified one that would be able to sustain her teeming population, ensure food security and industrialization and reshape the mode of thinking of our youths to build a corrupt free nation.


Mas’ud Adebimpe
Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor
25/07/10