Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State over the weekend at the Godwin Achebe Stadium, Onitsha, flagged off the distribution of over 1 Million seedlings across the state.
Among the seedlings currently being distributed through the 326 political wards through the Umunna system are seven hundred thousand palm seedlings, two hundred thousand Ukwa seedlings, fifty thousand bitter kola, and forty thousand paw-paw seedlings.
Distributing the seedlings, Soludo said his government is intentional about reinventing the old agricultural legacy of the late Dr Michael Okpara, and creating sustainable wealth for the people.
“We are celebrating the revolution, and we are here to signpost again one of the silver bullets that we have crafted to be able to drive a sustainable environment, and wealth creation, leaving no one behind.
“We are here to launch an ongoing programme designed to plant 10 million seedlings in Anambra over the next few years.
“Palm, oil, coconut oil, and other economic trees will in the medium term be the next oil.
“Anambra is in many ways the second Lagos in many terms.
“Anambra has the second smallest land mass after Lagos. While Lagos is expanding by reclaiming its land mass into the ocean, Anambra’s land mass is shrinking due to erosion, with over 1000 active erosion sites.
“This is why we are economical with land management and usage,” the governor stressed.
Governor Soludo acknowledged that in the future, Anambra will be a land driven by industrialization and commerce, pointing out that his administration is making steady progress on all the five pillars of development of his government.
He said; “Urban regeneration and community planning, water scheme, etc, are going on simultaneously.
“Part of our future lies in our past.
“Today, we celebrate our founding fathers who helped to create the first prosperity in the first republic, including MI Okpara, Ahmadu Bello, etc.
“We must learn from our past to empower our people in a sustainable manner. Let us reinvent our past. The target is to empower over one million households.
“Our agenda is to empower people sustainably, to give them fish for life, creating the greenest and sustainable environment in the process.”
Governor Soludo, who recalled that 1.1 million seedlings had been distributed between 2022 and 2023, said his government is targeting at least another 1,000,000 seedlings until it hits 10 million seedlings.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Mohammad Abubakar represented by the Director of the Ministry, Arthur Mbuba, lauded Governor Soludo’s government for driving the initiative which is a strong poverty alleviation programme, and expressed commitment to partnering with Anambra State, especially in the agriculture sector.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Foster Ihejiofor described Governor Soludo as a rare mixture of brain and heart, saying that he always thinks of how to make everyone free and prosperous, especially the weak and vulnerable in the society.
Dr. Ihejiofor revealed that the initiative is not only strategic but also an efficient way to enhance the economy and build a sustainable Anambra.