The Director-General, Ekiti State Office of Transformation, Strategy and Delivery, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, on Thursday, reiterated the commitment of the Dr Kayode Fayemi’s administration to the revitalisation of cocoa production in the state.
Aluko said Fayemi had earmarked ₦40 million to cocoa rehabilitation project in 2019 for the establishment of Cocoa Clonal Garden/Cocoa Rehabilitation in the state.
The OSTD boss, who spoke in Ado Ekiti during a meeting with members of the Cocoa Development Association, stated, “Ekiti is committed to improving on the cultivation of cocoa in the state to make it one of the foremost cocoa producing states in Nigeria.
“Development of agriculture remained one of the major targets of the Kayode Fayemi-led administration as about ₦40 million has been set aside for the establishment of Cocoa Clonal Garden/Cocoa Rehabilitation in the state.”
Aluko gave the assurance that there would be continued collaboration between the state government and the farmers which, according to him, would assist to revive cocoa production in the state.
The Chairman, Ekiti State Chapter of the Cocoa Development Association, Francis Ibitoye, who spoke on behalf of cocoa farmers in the state, expressed the association’s readiness to partner the government to develop agriculture in the state.