Bulk Purchase Agency will Ensure Efficient Tracking of Food Distribution - Dan Akpan

Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Bulk Purchase Agency, Rt Hon Dan Akpan 

Priscilla Akpanettot

Contrary to speculations that the Bulk Purchase Scheme of the present administration would be enmeshed in scandals, Chairman of the Bulk Purchase Agency, Rt. Hon. Dan Akpan has posited otherwise, and urged members of the public to keep faith with the initiative.

Rt. Hon Dan Akpan said this on Monday, April 15, 2024, at the conversation put together by the Ministry of Information on ARISE Scorecard, to discuss Governor Umo Eno’s intervention and sustainability strategy towards food sufficiency and security.

He reminded that the objective of the Scheme is to mitigate the high cost of foodstuff in the State; ensure food security and sufficiency in the State and to improve the socioeconomic condition of people at the grassroots by delivery of relevant food items at subsidized rate geared towards poverty reduction.

He stated that the Scheme would be sustained for a while upon commencement, to help vulnerable members of the public find their feet physiologically.

L-R: Commissioner for Economic Development, Mr. Emem Bob; Commissioner for Agriculture Dr Offiong Offor and Chairman of the Bulk Purchase Agency, Rt Hon Dan Akpan 

Rt. Hon. Akpan who refuted claims that the food items given at the flag-off of the Scheme were sandy and substandard stressed that they were of good quality, and that any vendor supplying substandard food items will be evicted from the scheme. 

On how the items would be monitored for effective distribution, he informed that three monitoring teams have been set up by the Agency, one for each of the three Senatorial Districts to ensure that the food items get to those intended. 

Meanwhile, the Government of Akwa Ibom State under Pastor Umo Eno is planning to spur the interest of young people in agriculture by providing them financial access and land for start-up. 

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor said this at the discussion and called on interested Akwa Ibom youth to form a team of likeminded farmers and approach Room 99 of the State Ministry of Agriculture, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat where they can be merged as a Corporative group and given lands for cultivation and or funds for start-up. 

She explained that the Governor was leaving no stone unturned in his bid to making agriculture the mainstay of the economy and thus, eradicating poverty and hunger from the land, in line with Goal 1 and 2 of the United Nations proposition on Sustainable Development.

Dr. Offor who recounted the various interventions of the State Governor to livestock and crop farmers since the inception of his administration was hopeful that subsequent harvests would be bountiful and food items, less expensive for the Akwa Ibom populace.

“Government had asked Local Government Chairpersons to gift lands to government for farming, to increase production and 7 of them have done that so far. The lands will be given back to the people to cultivate, with the farm inputs provided by government. With this, we can are sure of food availability in sufficiency”, she said, adding that there’ll be designated sales point for purchase of the food items cultivated by assisted farmers when it is time. 

Dr. Offiong while responding to questions on Government’s action towards the destruction of farmlands by cattle and herders frowned at the development and announced that such defaulters will be prosecuted. 

Her position was corroborated by the Commissioner for Information and host of the discuss, Comrade Ini Ememobong who informed that the State Government had held consultations with the Arewa Community in the State and was consolidating on agreement reached to take legal action on defaulters of the Law on Open Grazing.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong said the platform was created to put members of the State in the know of the extent and why Governor Eno was intervening in food sufficiency and security.

The Discuss also had the Commissioner for Economic Development,

Mr Emem Bob Almond speak on key issues regarding the economic development of the State.