By Ogochukwu Isioma
Former governor of Abia State and Senator-elect (Abia North), Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu on Sunday launched a free Agricultural empowerment program which saw the distribution of free palm seedlings to members of his constituency and Abians at large.
Igbere TV reports that the event which held at Kalu’s Camp Neya private residence in Igbere, attracted dignitaries and personalities from all walks of life including APC House of Reps candidate for Aba North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Mascot Uzor Kalu and Rep members elect, Hon. Nkiruka Onyenjeocha and Barr. Benjamin Kalu.
Speaking at the launch of the program, Dr. Kalu said the initiative was his own support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy to revolutionise agriculture in Nigeria.
He revealed that his foundation, the Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation, has purchased 450,000 palm seedlings for distribution to farmers in the state.
The Billionaire businessman said the initiative was geared towards encouraging Abia farmers to go into palm plantation and other cash crops in order to create wealth.
“This is a sure way of creating wealth among the people of Abia. It is better than sharing money to them,” he said.
Kalu said that the seedlings would be given to those with proof of ownership of family land for the palm plantation.
The former governor said that the foundation would soon embark on the verification of land submitted by prospective beneficiaries to confirm their claims ahead of the state-wide distribution of the seedlings.
Kalu, who doubles as Leader of the APC in Abia, added that the distribution would cut across party line, describing the gesture as non-partisan.
“The period of electioneering is over. Now is the time to give the dividend of democracy to our people, irrespective of their party affiliations.
“When the foundation distributed vehicles under its youth empowerment scheme, it cut across part line. It was non-partisan.
“The only criterion for qualification is proof of ownership of family land,” he said, adding that the size of the family land would determine the quantity of seedling to be given to people.
“If you have 100 hectares of land, you will get the quantity for that size. If you have 10 hectares, you will also be given the quantity for the size of the land,” Kalu said.
The Senator-elect, therefore, urged the recipients to utilise the opportunity to create wealth and become self-reliant.
He recalled that he distributed free palm seedlings to secondary school children during his administration, saying that the beneficiaries were now reaping the benefits.
He said that the dependence on importation of palm from Thailand and Malaysia would drastically reduce, by the time people would begin to harvest the fruits of the palm.
Kalu said that it would take between two and three years for the palm to mature for harvesting.
High point of the event was the symbolic handing over of some seedlings to a few beneficiaries from the three Senatorial districts of Abia North, South and Central.
Igbere TV recalls that Kalu had during his Senatorial campaigns, unveiled his over 5,000 hectares fertile farmland at Ugwueke, Bende Local Government area of Abia State.
The farm, which is one of the largest farm settlement in Nigeria, is targeted at employing over 20,000 workers that will boost urban and rural development in the state.
According to Kalu, the farm which he started in 1998, has about 2,500 hectares dedicated to Cassava farming, adding, “our last harvest crashed the price from N1800 to N850 per-ton. Our 2017 oil palm is also ready for harvest & we have planted more.”
