To reduce the cost of production and increase yield for availability of vegetables at an affordable price, the Wife of the Cross River State Governor, Mrs Eyoanwan Otu has distributed bags of fertilizers to vegetable farmers in Calabar Metropolis.
Speaking while distributing the fertilizers at the premises of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Office, Barracks Road, Calabar, the Governor’s wife explained that crop cultivation is as old as man and essential for daily consumption to nurture the body for growth and development, noting that the importance of vegetables to the body cannot be overemphasized.
Represented by the Senior Special Adviser on Administration in her Office, Dr. Comfort Oko, the Governor's wife stated that “climate activities have made the natural cultivation and availability of vegetables difficult, thereby cutting its surplus and availability,” adding that there is a need to preserve its cultivation and availability.
She informed the farmers that the distribution of the fertilizers was to reduce the cost of production as well as to increase their output to make vegetables available in their various farms.
She encouraged them to make judicious use of the fertilizers to boost their vegetable production and make them availability to consumers in the State.
The Governor’s wife congratulated every group of vegetable farmers that benefitted from the free fertilizer distribution and prayed to God to bless them with fertile land continuously as they strive to make vegetables available to everyone at affordable prices.
Expressing appreciation for the gifts of fertilizers received from the Governor’s wife, representatives of vegetable farmers from New Airport Field, Calabar South and Ikot Awatim Mrs. Glory Udoh and Mrs. Mercy Eyong separately thanked the Governor’s wife for encouraging and supporting the women saying, “you have done so much for us by empowering us with fertilizers to boost the yield of our vegetable produce in our various farms. As you have helped us, so will God help you and continue to give you long life,” they prayed.
Also speaking, the leader of Vegetable Farmers at the Teachers Training College (TTC), Mrs. Henrietta Okoro explained that they have a big vegetable farm at the Research Institute in the TTC environs and thanked the Governor’s wife for having women in mind. “All this while, we have been suffering. We will buy fertilizers at very expensive prices but now she has given us fertilizers free of charge and we say may God bless her abundantly so that in years to come, she will continue to remember the women,” she added.
On her part, the State Secretary, Cross River State Women in Agriculture, Mrs. Comfort Ayang Oyira expressed their gratitude to the Governor’s wife for the things she has been doing for women in the State describing as "mother Theresa of Cross River.
“Today, I am proud to be a part of the distribution of fertilizers to our women to support them in the cultivation of vegetables. We say may God bless you, Your Excellency and give you more grace to keep remembering plights of women in the State and to help them find their feet,” she stated.
Beneficiaries of the fertilizers included – Vegetable Farmers, Basin Field; Vegetable Farmers New Airport Field, Calabar South; Cross River State Women in Agriculture; Delight Women Cooperative Society; Vegetable Farmers at Ikot Anwatim, Axari, Monty Suites, TTC, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Ikot Omin, Barracks Road, Margaret Ekpo Airport Field, Federal Government Girls College and UNICAL Fields, all in Calabar.
Esther Okoi
