In compliance with one leg of the 3Rs mantra of the Hope Uzodinmma administration- Recovery-, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture Development Programme, ADP, Chief Gibson Njemanze (Oyiga), has successfully recovered some properties of the ADP, which was catered away by individuals and former public office holders in the State.
One of the properties recovered is a Power tiller, a specialized equipment, used for rice production, which was retrieved from a rice farm allegedly belonging to former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, in Assa in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area.
The equipment after used for rice production in the private farm of the former Governor was never returned to the agency.
Upon assumption of office as SA to the Governor on ADP, on June 14, 2020, and in line with the mandate of Governor Uzodinma to recover all government properties in private hands, Chief Njemanze (Oyiga), constituted a 13 man Task Force, saddled with the responsibility of recovering all ADP properties and assets, which was taken away by private individuals and former government functionaries, which were never returned.
The Task Force swung into action and in collaboration with security agencies in the State, to recover all properties of the agency, recorded a major breakthrough last week by recovering the two power tillers in the rice farm of the former Governor.
Also, a Low bed equipment belonging to ADP, used to convey heavy-duty equipment such as trucks and bulldozers, is about to be recovered by the Task Force from Afanik limited, a company linked to Mr.Gerald Okorocha.
Speaking to newsmen on the success of the recovery of the equipment, the Special Adviser to the Governor on ADP, Chief Njemanze, said the recovery of ADP assets, is part of his mandate to revive the ADP in Imo State, which has been in poor condition for many years due to neglect and abandonment of the agency by past administrations.
He said efforts are still ongoing by the Task Force to recover all outstanding ADP properties and assets in private hands in line with the mandate of the Task Force as directed by the Governor of the State, Senator Hope Uzodinma
The ADP in Imo State, is an agriculture interventionist agency, constituted to boost Agricultural development in Imo State.
The agency has been run aground, as past administrations in the State failed to provide statutory subvention to enable the agency function at optimum level.
The Okorocha administration, in particular, failed to pay any statutory counter part funds on behalf of the agency, to the Federal Government and other specialized agencies to attract funding for the overall development of agriculture in Imo State.
PHOTO CREDIT: ADP, Imo State
