Read Time:3 Minute, 51 Second

Once in a cycle of generations, a people can be faced with an array of problems, catastrophes, unexpected emergencies, seeming hopelessness and a highly incompetent government, all at the same with no redemption or escape route in sight. This is exactly the kind of times we have found ourselves in Anambra State at the moment. To make matters worse, the state government’s drought of real economic ideas has increased the hardships faced by Ndi Anambra, an example of which is in agricultural sector where food prices are ballooning through the roof.

One can hardly point to a couple of big commercial farms, plantations or processing centers in any part of the state, especially our food belt. The state government simply left farmers to their fate. Even the meagre cassava stems the Ministry of Agriculture is supposed to distribute to farmers during the planting seasons are always seen decaying at the premises of Local Government secretariat.

This is the height of incompetence. The State government also clearly does not have plans to ensure we achieve self-sufficiency in livestock production so that our people won’t face any meat crisis in the event of any emergency like witnessed in the recent food blockade by some food dealers association in the North.

It is therefore time for Anambrarians to rise up and save our state from the claws of food insecurity and high food prices brought about partly by a state government that is disinterested in leadership and who doesn’t treat food security as a priority. We need to turn to a leader with a clear agricultural policy direction who also has the political will to get things done. That man is Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo (Overdose), the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) for the forthcoming November 6 governorship election.

He is a man that is prepared more than ever before to tackle headlong the agricultural challenges facing our state. Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo has stated his desire to revolutionize agriculture in Anambra State by driving massive investments (including private capitals) into the sector. He has the capacity to attract the much needed private capitals into the agricultural sector in Anambra State.

Top on his to-do list in the agro-allied industry in the state would be to bring thousands of fallow hectares of land into cultivation during the 2022 planting season, mostly on an industrial scale. This will be followed by a concerted effort to commence all-year-round farming across the state with mini-irrigation schemes established in many parts of the state in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo will also push for the establishment of a fertilizer blending plant as well as a livestock feed production factory in a public private partnership arrangement. This will be a game changer for our crop and livestock farmers especially in the light of rising cost of poultry and fish feeds, which has led to massive increase in the prices of birds and fishes.

Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo has also revealed that once elected into office, he will prioritize the setting up of Commodity Boards that will serve as off-takers to mop up excess produce from farmers for storage and processing where necessary. According to him, this is the only way we can control post harvest losses as well as stabilize food prices during the off-season. As governor, that will definitely be one of his priorities. Dr. Chido also disclosed plans of embracing biotechnology in agriculture especially in the area of producing high yielding and disease resistant crop and livestock varieties.

Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo, who is the CEO of the Wichtech conglomerate, is equally determined to push Anambrarians into cattle ranching and milk production so that we can show our sister states in the South East that an Igbo man can venture into this lucrative but tasking business in a modern way. This is the sustainable thing to do to ensure guaranteed supply of protein for Ndi Anambra.

From the foregoing, it is abundantly clear that no other person aspiring to lead our dear state has any revolutionary template in agriculture close to the vision of Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo. It is only him that can truly unlock the quantum of potential that has for long been locked away in our agricultural sector. He has proven his capacity to get things done in various sectors as a businessman and industrialist, he will surely implement these revolutionary plans as Governor.

Let us therefore make a governor that will fast forward the realization of a New Anambra in our lifetime!