The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu, has inaugurated 22-member Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 46th Conference of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD).

The 46th edition of the conference will be held in the Cross River State Capital, Calabar next month (April)

During the event which held at the Deputy Governor’s Conference Room, Government House Calabar, the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu noted that the delegation led by the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources secured the national council’s approval for the hosting right during the 45th meeting in Jos.

Prof Esu, who is also the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee revealed that the hosting right was given to Cross River State because of the approval of four out of six memoranda presented by the state at the 45th conference in Jos.

Prof Esu explained that the present administration has done a lot in repositioning the state in the area of Agro Industrialization and called on the Local Organising Committee to be proactive and kick start preparations by inaugurating sub committees.

Prof. Esu pointed out that the council was expected to fully explore the possibility of using the unique platform provided by the forthcoming NCARD conference to develop workable policies and strategies that will create sustainable impacts in the sector and also enhance the efforts of the present administration’s agenda of Agro-Industrializing the State

In his address, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Oliver Orok, who is also the Alternate Chairman of the Local Organising Committee intimated members that the inauguration is part of the efforts to successfully host the conference in Calabar.

He also noted that the event will be an opportunity for the state to showcase her agricultural factories and products to the nation.

Responding on behalf of members of the Committee, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, who is also the secretary of the Committee, Mr Jacob Udida pointed out that the hosting of the event will go a long way in creating a lasting impact on the state.

He thanked the State Government for finding them worthy to serve at that capacity and charged members to see the assignment as a call to service. He pledged that the committee would work assiduously towards achieving its set objectives.

The highpoint of the event was the inauguration of the 22-member committee which was drawn from various departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.