Chairman Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Cross River State branch, Mr. Ejor Obi, giving his address during the commissioning of the Cocoa Guest House
By PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade has commissioned a multi million naira cocoa house in Ikom LGA in order to boost cocoa production in the state.
The cocoa guest house which is constructed by the stakeholders of the industry would help in the provision of accommodation to business men and women who make a visit in the state when the ultra-morderm cocoa processing factory constructed by the Ayade led administration will commence full operation.
The governor, who was represented by the state APC chairman, Alphonsus Ogar, lauded the state branch of Cocoa Association of Nigeria for the developmental stride and pray God to protect guest who might come to lodge in the cocoa guest house.
In his remarks, Chairman Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Cross River State branch, Mr. Ejor Obi, stated that as an association, they are fully prepared to increased production of cocoa products.
“We are committed to ensuring that we raise the local production of cocoa, increase it’s economic prominence and attract greater investment into our farms and by extension economy of the state and that of the nation at large” he said.
Earlier, Vice president,Cross River/ Akwa Ibom and Rivers State Zone of Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Okwu, described the guest house as as a thought-ouy facility which has been the top most on agenda of the association.
He stressed that the cocoa house has been a burden of proper care and world class hospitality for extra-ordinary calibre of visitors to Ikom and Cross River State.
“It is actually a first step in the package we are offering to investors first, and the general public to ensure that upon visiting, they ae treated to appropriate conditions for relaxed, impressive and ultimately satisfying long term business visit to the state.
“We have seamless blend of tourism and business in the best exquisite way possible”. Okwu stated.
Okwu averred that currently the cocoa economy, in the state is operating at less than 40% of the capacity at farm level,less than 50% in marketing and 0% in manufacturing.
He said that Cross River cocoa economy has potential to sustain the state’s economy if the people maximizes its potentials in the state.
The association appealed to the state government to provide 20 hectares of land specifically at government owned estate at Cross River State Forest in Effray to enable the association raise a cocoa seed garden and a demonstration farm.
“This would make it easier for Cross Riverians to to have access to hybrid planting materials, utilize Cross River State the state cocoa processing plant for value addition and to also provide comfortable environment for trade to people of the state.” He said.
Okwu disclosed that arrangement was on top gear for construction of the association’s skill acquisition centre to tackle the number of youths facing unemployment and restiveness troubling the society.
He stressed that upon completion of the skill acquisition centre, youths who are idle in the state would have opportunity to be trained in their areas of interest and specialties to get them engaged so as to pull themselves out from joblessness.
