Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has announced a major investment package aimed at transforming agriculture and other key sectors of the state’s economy.
The announcement was made during the 21st edition of the Leboku International New Yam Festival in Ugep, Yakurr LGA, where Otu said his administration was working to move farmers from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
The broader Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investment package is reportedly worth more than ₦70 billion and US$1.075 billion, covering sectors including agriculture, energy, transportation, manufacturing, healthcare and infrastructure.
Agriculture is expected to receive major attention, with investments targeting rice, oil palm, fisheries, dairy and livestock production.
Otu said the government had already begun providing tractors, ploughing equipment and revolving loans to farmers’ cooperatives across the state.
The administration also plans to improve agricultural infrastructure, including rural roads, storage, processing facilities and market access.
However, the biggest question is whether the promised investments will reach ordinary farmers.
For many farmers across Cross River, challenges such as poor roads, lack of machinery, limited financing, post-harvest losses and difficulty accessing markets remain major barriers.
The governor’s agricultural programme could significantly boost food production, create jobs and increase farmers’ incomes if properly implemented.
But farmers and residents will ultimately judge the programme by what happens on the farms, not in announcements.
As the Otu administration pushes its Green Economic Revolution, the question remains:
Will the ₦70bn-plus investment promise transform Cross River agriculture — or remain on paper?
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