From Joe Efiong, Uyo
Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel on Technical Matters and Due Process, Mr. Ufot Ebong, yesterday, disclosed that people in the state spent N15 billion, every year, on tomatoes.
Ebong who said this after taking journalists round the demonstration farm established by Akwa Ibom Enterprise and Employment Scheme (AKEES) growing tomatoes, garden eggs, onions and okro, explained that AKEES had researched and discovered that 22 vegetables could grow favourably on Akwa Ibom soil.
According to him, AKEES had diversified into agriculture to boost food production in the state and create employment for the youths, as such, the enterprise had started planting tomatoes in large quantity though modernised method.
“One hectare of land could yield four tonnes of tomatoes in a single harvest costing about N6 million. We have the mandate to reawaken our people’s consciousness to entrepreneurial spirit. Growing tomatoes alone can fetch millions of naira every month instead of going around begging money from political office holders,” Ebong said.
Ebong also disclosed that AKEES pencil factory which started test production in October 2016 had the capacity to produce 140,000 packets of pencils in three months.
According to Ebong, the factory, located along Km 2, Uyo Etinan Road, in Etinan Local Government Area of the state, had three lines of production capacity; adding that the pencil factory would co-exist with the tooth pick production running side by side.
“The essence of running the pencil and tooth pick together is to save running cost of production and maximise profit. There is ready market for the products as the period of test run was to source for available markets.
“If you enter that factory, there are three production lines for pencil and three production lines for tooth pick under one roof this is to save cost. Part of the test run production is to develop the market. I can tell you we have orders even as far as Sokoto coming to buy the pencil.
“The factory, when in full operation, one line can produce 140,000 cartons of pencil in three months, “Ebong said.
The senior special assistant added that major aim of AKEES, established by Governor Emmanuel in September 2015, was to reawaken enterprise skills of Akwa Ibom people and create wealth instead of begging for money from political office holders.