Ayade Inaugurates 57-Man Cocoa Allocation Committee In Cross River

Targeting first position production in Nigeria, The governor of Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayade has inaugurated a 57-man Cocoa Allocation Committee In the state. This will over see new allocation to allottees after sales of forms and reports back by March 15, 2019.

Gov. Ben Ayade who was represented by the Special Adviser to the governor on Cocoa Development Dr. Oscar Ofuka urged the committee members to be serious with the task assigned to them because the state is targeting annual production of about 500,000 metric tons and to become number one producer of Cocoa in Nigeria.

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Ayade said that apart from increasing production output, his administration has built an Ultra Modern Cocoa Processing Factory in Ikom as to bring value addition by processing the beans for export and to encourage Cross Riverians to plant Cocoa.

He said that the Committee must drive the state’s policy of managing Government- owned Cocoa Estates maximally through transparent and equitable Cocoa Allocation exercise.

Among the terms of reference given to the committee are: sales of forms to allottees and turn in their report for final approval by 15 March, 2019; undertake the verification of Cocoa land in the four government Estates; categorise the existing plots as to determine the lease fees payable to government per hectare; ensure that 70% of allottees goes to the landlord communities in line with the out of court settlement agreement etc.

The committee inauguration which took place at the Conference room of the Cross River Agriculture Development Project was attended by the CRADP Program Manager Dr. Chris Agaji and Director of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Innocent Obim.

The Chairman of the Cocoa Allocation is Mr. Collins Ogar while Mr. Richard Ada is to serve as Secretary as well as members of the public.