WORLD BANK SUPPORTS MBAH STRIDES ON WATER, AGRIC DEV’T, AND PROMISES TO SUPPORT LIVESTOCK FARMERS
Enugu: The World Bank has praised Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah for his many accomplishments in the fields of water and agriculture, especially raising livestock. The governor’s efforts to transform the state will contribute to an increase in the state’s agricultural productivity.
Sanusi Abubakar, the National Coordinator of the World Bank-assisted Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), commended the governor on Wednesday during both a working visit to the government house in Enugu and the Project Implementation Support Mission.
During the speech, Abubakar clarified that the L-PRES project, which is supported by the World Bank and overseen by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, aims to enhance the productivity and commercialization of livestock value chains. The project was brought to Enugu to assist the state government in addressing “systemic weaknesses and challenges stifling the needed growth and full emancipation of the livestock sector in the state” and to complement its efforts.
Governor Mbah was praised for his substantial dedication to achieving the project onboarding requirements, but he insisted that the state’s L-PRES objective will benefit from his administration’s enormous advancements in development projects, agriculture, and water supply.
It is impossible to ignore the enormous advancements made by your administration in agricultural and development initiatives among Nigeria’s livestock stakeholders and beyond.
He remarked, “We are fully aware of your strides in the provision of potable water through your administration’s water project, which is a critical factor for livestock production and a sustainable livelihood; we also recognize the importance of building rural road networks for value chain development, market linkage, and investment commitment in agriculture.”
Speaking, Governor Mbah, who was accompanied by Deputy Governor Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, praised the team for its efforts while affirming that the state government was careful to contribute to any alliance that would benefit the state and advance the interests of the people of Enugu State.
Mbah also gave the team instructions to help the state’s livestock farmers plan their farms and compile all the necessary paperwork for banks to grant them credit, guaranteeing that Enugu’s farmers are sincere, devoted, hardworking, and willing to provide protein to other regions of the world.
“We want to collaborate closely with you to make sure that whatever investment you make is backed by our counterpart financing contribution, which will have a measurable impact on our people. We are considering agriculture as a business because Enugu has transformed it from a subsistence endeavor to one. Enugu is appropriately currently open to business and investment; we are more prepared and willing than most states to maintain that.
“We can provide protein to other nations, and we have an international airport.” In order for us to be able to look back and say, “Yes, we did have an impact on the people,” Mbah continued, “I want us to collaborate to add value to this program.”
