Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has enjoined communities in the state to focus on farming and boost agricultural production not only to become self-sufficient but to sell and increase their earning power.

Besides, he said that it was part of the Government’s deliberate policy to refocus the attention of the people away from oil to more lasting and revenue yielding sectors of the economy.

Uduaghan who made the call at the weekend, at a town hall meeting in Umeh Community, Isoko South Council Area of the State, said it has become necessary to create employment for the teeming youths as well as empower the people.

The Governor promised to provide the enabling environment and infrastructures such as health facilities, water, electricity, transport and good road to increase the capacity of the people to produce, process and export their farm produce.

In particular, he expressed his commitment to the Umeh people saying: “l promise to provide good road and other facilities, and in turn you should farm to become the food basket of the nation by boosting the production of agricultural products.”

He said there was money in farming and explained that the richest people in the country and in developed countries worldwide were farmers.

Uduaghan said the state was blessed with good vegetation, rich soil and enjoined Deltans to take advantage of God’s blessing and natural endowment to feed the nation.

He however said the emphasis of his administration was to empower the people through capacity building, good healthcare delivery system and provide conducive environment for academic excellence among others.

The Governor promised that the oil subsidy removal windfall that will accrue to the state will be used to improve the educational section especially the rehabilitation of classroom blocks across the State.

Uduaghan disclosed that pupils and students in primary and post-primary institutions no longer pay examination and other related fees even as he threatened that any head of school caught collecting fees would be dismissed.

In his welcome address, a representative of the Umeh Community Mr. Duncan Afahakor said the Governor’s visit to the town was motivated through his interaction with the Governor through the social media- the Facebook.

Mr. Afahakor said the Governor responded to his enquiries and invited the Governor to see the plight of the people in Umeh.

He commended the Governor for his humility especially for responding to the invitation to the community so that he would disclose the plans he has for the development of Umeh and other towns in lsoko land.