Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has announced plans to relocate the Ministry of Agriculture from its current headquarters on Bank Road, Umuahia, to a more suitable location to boost efficiency and productivity.
The Governor made this known on September 23 during an unscheduled visit to the ministry’s premises, shortly after swearing in two new commissioners and a Special Adviser on Agriculture as part of a minor cabinet reshuffle.
Otti, who was conducted around the facility by the Commissioner for Lands, Hon. Chaka Chukwumerije, and the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the buildings. He told staff that the current working environment was inadequate for the level of output expected from the ministry.
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“As a government, we want to put you in a more conducive place where you can be productive enough to produce what can feed Abia and Nigeria at large,” Otti said.
He disclosed that the state is considering relocating the ministry to Umudike, where the Abia State University Faculty of Agriculture is currently based. According to him, the university’s Faculty of Law, which is still in Umuahia, will also be returned to the institution’s permanent site in Uturu.
The Governor directed the Commissioner for Agriculture to immediately assess the suitability of the proposed new site.
Ministry staff welcomed the announcement with excitement, describing the Governor’s visit to their office as both historic and encouraging.
