Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has said his administration’ is focused on industrialisation because of his desire to create jobs and wealth for the people, especially youths.
Ayade, who spoke in Calabar while taking delivery of new equipment at the industrial city, said: “Cross River State is poised to lead Nigeria’s industrial revolution initiative with particular focus on agro-based industries.
“We have just taken delivery of four container loads of equipment for our frozen chicken processing factory, Cala-Chicka. We are expecting 40 more containers for the poultry value chain.
“By implication, we also have the equipment for the automated chicken slaughter house, and processing and packaging of frozen chicken. We also have three different equipment for three direction factories located in three different local government areas, all intended to drive the frozen chicken export business.
This again is a kinetic crystallisation of some of those industrialisation projects that we have talked about, and I believe that Cross Riverians are beginning to recognise and realise that indeed, we have taken the right decision to industrialise the state to create jobs and wealth among our people.
“We are taking advantage of protein deficiency in Africa and to venture into frozen chicken. In the fullness of time, the world will see that Cross River State is in the right direction and our dream is manifesting and they will begin to appreciate our effort as our wealth creation and economy diversification drive is beginning to yield positive results.
“As you can see, most of our projects are agro-based. For instance, as we process frozen chicken, we have to feed them. How do we feed them? We need soya beans; we really need also yellow maize. So, who will supply me the yellow maize? So, definitely we now need to engage major industrial farmers for soya beans farming and yellow maize cultivation. How do they get funding? That is why we set up Cross River Micro-finance Bank.
“So, if you don’t know the story, you think that Ayade is carrying too much, but they are all intended to just fit together and create an organic hole. It’s gradually crystallising and that was why I christened our budget: ‘Kinetic Crystallisation’. I can tell you that crystallisation in rapid succession, all the things will start falling in place and people can begin to see for themselves,” he said.