In the obvious face of the dwindling federal allocation accruing from oil revenue, Governor David Umahi, has sought credible alternative to oil through agriculture and is luring the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in this regard.

Along this line, Governor Umahi on Wednesday paid a visit to the NSIA head office in Abuja to seek possible partnership with Ebonyi State Government to further advance and drive the agricultural policy of the State Government.

Speaking during the meeting with the Managing Director of NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji, Governor Umahi said he was in the office to seek for funds for agriculture, skill acquisition centre and special vocational schools.

Umahi maintained that in the face of the near-dried oil based economy, the only way to survive the looming hunger in the country is for everybody to go into agriculture and other skill based activities that will boost the economy.

He commended NSIA for their dedication to driving the vision of the present administration in the area of agriculture and disclosed that his administration had since inception adopted workable and non-grammar based agricultural policy which has turned around the fortune of the state that remains one of the least in terms of federal allocation.

Governor Umahi noted that with salient economic bottlenecks staring the state in the face as a result of meagre allocation from the centre, the only way to survive was to maximise the agrarian nature of Ebonyi soil to go into full scale agriculture, hence the need to source for more funding from the agency.

He said that his administration through skill acquisition has trained over 6,000 Ebonyians both male and female in various areas of economy to be self reliant and called on NSIA to graciously partner with the State Government in terms of funding as a take-off grant to enable the beneficiaries go into full scale production in various skills learnt.

The Governor, who announced that currently over 3,000 women are being trained on various skill acquisition through the office of the First Lady, also solicited for funds to enable the state government augment start-up funds for the participants.

Responding, Orji commended Governor Umahi for his laudable achievements in the state which he described as magical.

He said the agency is always willing to partner with states and relevant bodies that show genuine interest in lifting their people from poverty through agriculture and skill acquisition.

Mr. Orji said they will be willing to partner with Ebonyi State Government in the areas of agriculture and skill acquisition to help the State Government drive her vision of agricultural revival which is already going on in the state through the popular ‘one man one hectare policy’.

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