FIC Report (Abia State) – The Abia State Government has announced plans to establish six cocoa plantations across the state as part of its 2025 Cocoa Development Programme. The initiative aims to significantly boost the state’s internally generated revenue and create job opportunities for its citizens.
Deputy Governor Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu disclosed this during the presentation of the 2025 Cocoa development programme by the state Cocoa Transformation Committee in his office.
He stated that the state will solely fund the project in collaboration with the Ministries of Lands and Agriculture and that Each of the six selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) will have a minimum of 50 hectares of land acquired for the pilot phase.
In his remark, the Commissioner for Agriculture Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, revealed that a total of 1.378 billion has been earmarked for the project and that the selected LGAs are Ikwuano, Isiala Ngwa North, Bende, Ohafia, Obingwa, and Ukwa East.
Contributing, the Mayor of Obingwa, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Destiny Isiguzoro, and the Mayor of Ikwuano, Dr. Anthony N.Nwaubani, said that the project which is fundamental to sustainable economic growth will help in job creation, attract investors as well as increase the internally generated revenue of the state.
Also, the state chairman, Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria,Mr. John Kalu, called on the state government to utilize the vast Forest reserves in addition to the ones to be acquired, create more asses roads to enable them acquire more Lands for the pilot phase.
The meeting attracted the presence of the Mayor’s of the six selected LGA’s, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwo, members of the state Cocoa Transformation Committee among others.
Signed
Amah Ijeoma
FIC Correspondent
Office of the Deputy Governor
12-09-2025
