As the Rivers State Government shops for partners to revamp the moribund Songhai Farm in Tai Local Government Area, a cross section of Rivers indigenes have hailed the move, describing it as worthy.
Some of the indigenes who spoke during a popular radio programme in response to Governor Sim Fubara’s visit to the farm, said the revival of the farm will boost agriculture in the state.
According to some of them, the Songhai Farm had remained comatose for long, stressing that the humongous amount of money previous administrations invested in the project seemed to have been wasted.
It was their belief that if the farm becomes operational again, agricultural products like plantain, banana and others would become more abundant in the state, and ultimately crash the soaring price of the items.
Some of them also spoke of the employment opportunities the revival of the farm would open for Rivers people and thanked Governor Fubara for proposing the idea to revamp it.
What however, bothered some of those who spoke is the deplorable state of the East-West Road, especially the Eleme axis which is the route to the Songhai Farm. They urged the Federal Government to repair the road urgently for easy movement and transportation of agricultural produces that would come out from the farm.
Nnamdi Amadi from Etche said the revival of the once thriving farm had long been expected. “Its revival will boost agriculture in the state,” he said and thanked Governor Fubara for making plans to make it operational once again.
Barikuma Ndee welcomes the proposal by Governor Fubara, saying if the farm becomes operational again, it will provide employment opportunities for Rivers people. He urged the Rivers State Chief Executive Officer not to look back in his plans to revamp the farm and urged the citizens to support the Governor.
Amali Ogale prayed God to help Governor Fubara to revive the farm, which she said would be for the benefit of indigenes and non- indigenes. “With its revival, agricultural products will crash and our people will be provided employments,” she said.
Governor Sim Fubara had recently visited the Songhai Farm where he was conducted round some sections of the facility by the Manager, Dr. Sammy Jaja.
