Enugu Govt upgrades ESPOLY Iwollo to University of Agriculture *Cites another campus in Uzo-Uwani

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By Iheanyi Chukwudi

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah at the weekend announced the upgrading of Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, to a University of Agriculture with another Campus at Uzo-Uwani Local Government of the state, by his administration.

The university he said, would be able to produce the next generation of agricultural scientists, entrepreneurs and Innovators.

Disclosing this at the Michael Okpara Square when he flagged off the free distribution of 40,000 fertilizers and other farm inputs to over 60,000 registered farmers in the state, Mbah expressed his administration's commitment to establishing a special Agro Processing Zone in order to have the capability to process, package and export value-added agricultural products and produce.

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The Governor said, "The aim is to make Enugu a major exporter of Agro products; while the state is about to commence the initiative with a pilot agriculture industrial hub and three agricultural transformation centres which will serve as catalyst for agro processing, job creation and rural development."

The State he disclosed had already taken delivery of 102 tractors while another batch of 98 would be delivered soon, just as 800 would be assembled locally at the Nortra Assembling Plant in Enugu to enable registered farmers to have access to a mechanised farming system.

Acknowledging that agriculture was the backbone of the old Eastern Region's economy, Mbah noted that his administration's investment in agriculture is central to growing the state's economy to 30 billion dollars and reducing the poverty headcount rate to zero, adding that "farming is a vocation that requires professional insights and contributions."

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, earlier in his address said the event signifies an affirmation that Governor Mbah is fully committed to transforming the rural communities into vibrant centres of economic growth, prosperity and a symbol of hope and resilience, adding that "agricultural sector in Enugu State has never had it so good before now."

In their remarks, the Enugu Farm Estate Consultant, Alhaji Friday Sani-Nnaji, and the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Ejike Eze, commended the governor for the lofty achievements in the agric sector, agreeing that food security is sacrosanct in the state by next year, 2026.

Over 100 tractors, 40,000 bags of fertiliser, and several other farm inputs were distributed to registered farmers in the state at the event.