Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has disclosed that his government will open up many rural roads to enable rural farmers evacuate their farm yields to urban centres and general markets.
He also added that his administration is committed to return the renowned Okuku market in Yala local government area of the state to a thriving local commodity hub of international standard where farm produce from villages can be sold cheaply.
The governor spoke when he received a delegation led by the Paramount Ruler of Yala LGA, Ogamode Clement Onah Ipuole, in his office in Calabar.
Governor Otu said, "We have noted that inaccessibility to larger markets occasioned by bad or non-available roads have impacted against agriculture or smallholder farmers in the state.
"We will open up roads for ease of transportation of goods from the interior communities to the urban areas and markets."
He said his administration bids to explore the area's huge agriculture potentials as well as reposition it to its once reputed place as the food basket of the state, nay Nigeria.
Otu called on traditional and opinion leaders of Yala LGA to emphasise on agriculture, saying it will foster healthier communal ties, peaceful coexistence and good neighborliness.
"We want the cooperation of our traditional authorities to nib the avoidable records of communal clashes and other disputes which affect agriculture in the bud," the governor said.
He noted that the state was carrying out proper reforms to make sure that agriculture is well positioned as the mainstay of the state's economy.
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He maintained that security and other structures that would entrench sanity in the area are being put in place.
The governor expressed optimism that in the near future when the envisioned Okuku commodity market becomes a reality, the state government would definitely make areas like Okpoma and Okuku urban towns as the agricultural potentials of the area have all the trappings to make Yala an urban and commercial nerve center in the northern part of the state.
Speaking, the Paramount Ruler, Ogamode Clement Onah Ipuole, said access roads linking the various communities to enable them transport their farm produce, lack of potable drinking water, upgrade of the Okuku local food commodity market to international standard, were some of their challenges.
He appealed for the creation of an irrigation dam to boost food production; exploration of the huge salt deposits in the area and establishment of a salt industry.
