Food Production: Gov Ayade Challenges African Leaders On Self-Sufficiency

• Flags off 2022 Calabar carnival dry run with theme ‘Agro-Industrialization’

BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River has flagged off the dry run for the year 2022 Calabar carnival with a challenge to African leaders to stop the importation of food items that can be produced locally.

According to him, the only way the continent can be self-reliant in food production is for the leaders to look inwards by introducing productive measures that would not only encourage the people but provide the enabling environment that eventually leads to self-sufficiency in food production across the continent.

Governor Ayade said the choice of this year’s carnival theme; “Agro-Industrialization” was informed by the challenge arising from the devastating effect of floods on farmlands nationwide.

He said the unfortunate development is a dangerous signal for unexpected hunger, warning that if proactive measures are not urgently put in place to mitigate the impending hazard the future may be too bleak to contain.

The Cross River State Chief Executive listed efforts made by his administration towards self-sufficiency in food production to include the establishment of the Ayade Industrial Park in Calabar, Calachikar Chicken Factory, the Rice Seedlings Processing Factory, the Pharmaceutical Factory, the Vegetable Oil Factory, Cocoa to Chocolate Factory, Poultry Factory, Noodle Factory, Toothpick Factory, Industrial Starch Factory, Garment Factory, Pile and Pilon Factory,  among others.

Gov Ayade also said his administration’s industrialization policy was carefully designed to tap into the abundant natural resources that nature has endowed the state with and to provide a signpost for others to key into as a way of laying a solid foundation for future leaders to protect and promote food sufficiency in the state.

However, acknowledging the fact that this year’s carnival would be the last for his administration to organize, the governor expressed hope that the incoming administration would improve on the legacy he would be leaving behind.

In his welcome address to participants in the exercise, Executive Secretary of State Carnival Commission (SCC), Mr Austin Ibok explained that the carnival test run was organized to put the various carnival bands in shape.

He said the arrangement was preparatory for the main event slated for the final week of December 2022. Various carnival bands are taking part in the 12 kilometers 2022 dry run.

The Calabar Carnival, also known as “Africa’s Biggest Street Party” or the “Pride of Nigeria”, is an annual carnival held in Cross River State. It was introduced by the administration of former Governor Donald Duke as an activity to mark the annual Christmas celebration.

He said the vision for creating the carnival that holds every December was to make Cross River home of tourism and hospitality in Nigeria and Africa. This is as the quality of the festival grew over the years, making it Nigeria’s biggest carnival and an internationally recognized festival.

However, the advent of Governor Ayade’s administration saw the event, which used to be a month-long programme beginning on December 1st of every year, being reduced to a two weeks period.

The 2020 edition of the Calabar Carnival and Festival did not hold as the Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) moved for its suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on massive gatherings in the country. This is in addition to the mass destruction and looting of goods and infrastructure by hooligans during the #EndSARS protest.

Similarly, the 2021 edition also failed to hold as the Cross River State Government cancelled the event still citing the Covid-19 pandemic.