The Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), yesterday, signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mexican Business Council For Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology as well as Obolo communities in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The MoU, which was signed at the headquarters of the NDBDA in Port Harcourt, seeks to boost agricultural production towards achieving food security for the Niger Delta people, in line with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Tinubu.
Managing Director of the NDBDA, Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, during the event, re-echoed his preference for collaboration for the realization of the core mandate of the Authority.
He explained that the partnership with relevant progressive entities would fast-track the development process of the region.
He noted that the Niger Delta region has huge agricultural potential in addition to the wealth of oil and gas resources.
“Our wealth is agriculture. Oil and gas are just additions to our wealth. Our real wealth lies in agriculture,” he stressed.
He also explained that the Mexican investors’ vision of agriculture and community development aligned with that of the Authority, hence his resolve to collaborate with them and Obolo communities to improve agricultural output.
He charged the benefitting communities to take ownership of the projects in order to ensure their timely completion and sustenance for the benefit of the entire region.
Chairman of the International Section For Africa, Mexican Business Council For Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology, Dr. Heriberto Garcia, said their organization is a large institution of agronomists in Mexico that specializes in the development of communities through agriculture.
Dr. Garcia, who led the delegation, said that: “we have been operating in all continents except Africa but we have now come into Africa to replicate what we have been doing in other continents.
“We will promote food security from both land and water. We will start a new agricultural development here as we will transform Rivers State agriculturally.”
He further promised to employ youths in the communities as “we have special plans for women and youths in our communities of operation.”
Shortly before signing the MoU, His Royal Highness King (Dr) Benson Eguenre, Okaan Ama of Ataba Kingdom, Uruk XVII and Chairman of Obolo Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, welcomed the development.
The monarch described the initiative as a good opportunity for Obolo communities to key in and benefit from the development projects.
However, King Eguenre lamented that the Obolo ethnic group which cuts across Rivers and Akwa-Ibom States had been highly marginalized in terms of development despite the fact that they arguably account for about 50 percent of the oil and gas resources in the Niger Delta.
Prince Amgbare, who arrived in Port Harcourt with the Mexican investors on Monday August 12, congratulated the royal father for being the first in the Niger Delta Basin to host the investment plans of the Authority.
