By Chijioke Churuba
- Ngor Okpala is strategic to Imo’s industrial growth – Gov. Hope Uzodimma
Ngor Okpala, a local government in Owerri senatorial zone, is one of the largest in Imo State. It has a rich political legacy, with an estimated population of over 300,000 people. Also, it has huge oil and gas potentials, and is well endowed with large expanse of land and other natural resources.
Yes, the local government is strategic to Imo State’s industrial growth, and truly has the capacity to become an industrial/agricultural hub of Imo State. However, certain strategic conditions are required:
First, the roads and basic infrastructure in Ngor Okpala are currently in very poor and deplorable conditions. There is, therefore, an urgent need for the state government to look into the immediate construction and rehabilitation of key roads in Ngor Okpala so as to improve the ease of doing business in the area and the movement of agricultural products across communities within and outside the local government.
Some of the roads which demand immediate attention are: the Ulakwo-Imerienwe-Umuekwene Road, the Okpala-Eziamma-Alulu-Amala Road, the Imerienwe-Obokwe-Umuokoro Road, the Eke Obiangwu-Umuolulu-Enyiogugu Mbaise Road, the Ulakwo-Nguru0-Umuneke-Eziama Road, amongst others.
Again, the local government is endowed with fertile land mass and has significant comparative advantages/potentials in the areas of farming/agriculture and food production.
To that extent, the construction of integrated agricultural facilities possibly along the banks of Uramurukwa River around the Ulakwo-Imerienwe axis and along the Umuekwene-Etche Road axis would be pertinent in delivering value to the communities, the local government and the State.
The integrated agricultural facilities could be in the areas of snail farming, piggery farming, oil palm production, livestock farming, cassava farming, plantain/banana farming, and other cash crops using a combination of traditional and modern methods to enhance quality, output and productivity.
The agricultural facilities would undoubtedly employ thousands of young men and women in the local government, and would redefine Ngor-Okpala as one of the ‘the food baskets’ of Imo State, and open up the rural economies of the local government.
Third, there is need to construct modern Agricultural Produce Markets (APMS), possibly along the Ulakwo-Umuowa–Imo Airport and other strategic locations.
The Agricultural Produce Markets would serve as focal points for the buying and selling of agricultural products produced in the rural communities of the local government, and from other neighbouring local governments such as Owerri West, and Aboh Mbaise local government.
The markets would connect farmers with off-takers, deepen competitiveness among producers, and stimulate economic/trade activities within the local government and other neighbouring local governments.
Furthermore, the markets (APMS) would generate local employment opportunities for the communities, as well as increase the revenue potentials of the local government and that of Imo State Government in general.
Fourth, the huge land acquired by the state government around Amala-Eziamma communities in Ngor-Okpala should be developed as an industrial cluster as a matter of urgency.
This project, which had been abandoned for many years by successive state governments, should be revisited and possibly funded under an investment option that would require minimal cash outlay from the state government. The Imo Cargo Airport within the local government also makes the development of an industrial/manufacturing cluster in the local government quite reasonable.
These key strategic steps, in addition to the construction and renovation of health facilities and public schools across the local government and other neighbouring local governments such as Owerri West and Aboh Mbaise, would undoubtedly help to strategically position Ngor Okpala, in the economic and industrial calculus of Imo State.
Churuba, Managing Consultant/CEO, Sprog Consulting Limited, wrote in from Port Harcourt, Rivers State
