As part of its effort to revolutionise agriculture, farmers in Ebonyi State, would soon be trained on the use of modern mechanised agricultural equipment.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Barr. Uchenna Orji, who stated this at a joint press conference with his Information and state Orientation counter, Dr. Emmanuel Onwe, in Abakaliki, said the government had engaged the services of some, “expatriates to train the farmers on the use of the mechanised agricultural equipment procured by the government.”

Orji said that five hectares of land had been acquired and cleared at the permanent site of the state university for the exercise, adding that registered farmers and farmers’ cooperative societies would benefit from the training.

The agriculture commissioner also said that “parboiling machines would soon be installed at the three modern rice mills owned by state government to get them fully utilised.”

He announced the readiness of the government to enhance the ecstatic beauty of Abakaliki to make it a standard state capital to reckon, saying that the Executive Council had directed the State Ministry of Environment to ensure that illegal structures were removed.

The ministry is also to plant ornamental trees by the streets.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Emmanuel Onwe, who spoke first, restated the commitment of the council to the urban renewal programme of the state government.

Dr. Onwe added that the council approved N100m to enable the State Ministry of Power to continue with the ongoing urban street light project. He hinted that it was the decision of the council that the street light project be handled systematically with the ongoing rehabilitation of 200 kilometres of urban street roads by the state Ministry of Works.

This idea, according to him, would “ensure that each road reconstructed will be accompanied with street light, water and environmental sanitation facilities.”

The Commissioner similarly announced that the council approved the sum of N60m for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Meat Market abattoir and the provision of a cold room.

He however directed on behalf of the council, that traders staying on the road to transact their businesses at the meat market and around Abakpa market should relocate to a better place.

The Information boss who said that council received report on the international market and agreed to hasten up the completion of the stalls to enable traders move in soonest, disclosed that the council directed the State Head of Service, Dr. Chamberlin Nwele, to suspend for three months without pay, the three Zonal Accountants of the Secondary Education Board for failing to prepare vouchers for the payment of June salaries of Secondary school teachers as directed by the government.

Dr. Onwe informed the press that the council received report on the purchase of vehicles for council members but decided to step it down for now, as a result of the poor financial status of the state.

•Photo shows Ebonyi Governor Dave Umahi