New Telegraph

Ididep Dam: Presidency partners Bennycom Farms for Agro-based Investment in A’Ibom

  • Community welcomes project, pledges support

In line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s drive to vigorously invest in agriculture to boost the nation’s food security and change the course of importation, the presidency is partnering Bennycom Agro & Farms Limited to expand government’s investment in Akwa Ibom State.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang reiterated Buhari’s determination to provide alternative to oil through his charge to develop channels by which the Niger Delta can boast of multiple resource factors, especially in agriculture.

Leading two investors, Engr Usenekong Ikpe, a retired staff of Shell BP and the MD/CEO of Bennycom, Brezhnev Langwa, Ita Enang said the investors were there on site survey to determine what nature of investment to adopt.

“Ididep Dam was built in 2009 by the federal government during the tenure of Abba Rumah as Minister of Water Resources and Agriculture and Mrs Fedilia Njieze as Minister of States at N1.4 billion was “to provide a pool of water for agro based purposes.

“This dam will feed the 45 hectares of land already acquired with full compensation paid to Ikot Akpan Abasi community”, he said.

On their part, the investors, Engr Usenekong Ikpe from Ikot Ekpot Ididep in Ibiono Ibom LGA of Akwa Ibom State and Engr Brezhnev Langwa, a Cameroonian and Akwa Ibomite by marriage, stated that they are already to start at once.

“We will begin with fast yielding crops like rice, cucumber, tomatoe, pepper, onion, cabbage and even piggery.

“We have an irrigation system in place. This is a major source of water for agricultural purposes and with series of security challenges in parts of the country, the South South and Akwa Ibom in particular, is relatively peaceful and willpromote large scale farming”.

Similarly, Engr Uwem Uwah, a consultant to the office of Senator Ita Enang on rice farming observed that the Dam would be useful for both cropping and fishery in aquaculture.

While expressing expectations for a prompt commencement of the project, President General of Mboho Nkaiso Ididep, Obong Emmanuel Enang and the Village Head of Ikot Akpan Abasi, Chief Hon. Emmanuel Udo appealed to the investors to carry the indigenes along.

Read Previous

Emanuella wins Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award

Read Next

Abducted OOU students regain freedom

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *