CRSG INAUGURATES COCOA ALLOCATION C'TTEE, SUES FOR TRANSPARENT PROCESS

By Ebi Collins

The State Government has inaugurated a steering committee to oversee the allocation of its Cocoa Estates to deserving members of the public.

The sixteen-member Committee comprising of Prince Cosmas Ebori Nku as Chairman and Mr Amba Ogar as Secretary was inaugurated by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development ,Hon Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo recently in the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters.

The exercise became necessary as the State Government seeks to rehabilitate and develop the Cocoa Estates for the betterment of Cross Riverians.

While Charging the Committee to take their duties and schedules seriously; Commissioner Ebokpo rolled out ten guidelines to shape the activities of the Committee.

Cocoa Allocation Committee Members

The guidelines include but not limited to; - The complete implementation of the blue print on Cocoa Estate regeneration in conjunction with the technical team of the Ministry headed by the Director of Cocoa Development Department, in line with the allocation procedure on yearly rotation, beginning with Cross River Forest and Cocoa Project (CRF&CP).

Commissioner Ebokpo stressed that, "the prices of allocation forms available for sales to the public must be in line with the current economic realities in the country to reflect, "the People's First" Mantra of the administration of His Excellency Senator Bassey Edet Otu.

He concluded that the Cocoa allocation exercise must be transparent, fair and adjudged the best at all times.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Prince Cosmas Ebori Nku thanked the State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu for the confidence reposed in him and his members assuring that his team will work assiduously to deliver on their mandate and Commended the Agriculture Commissioner's strides while expressing the Committee's preparedness and resolve to work closely with the Ministry within the stipulated guidelines.