Former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, will be the special guest of honour at the 12thedition of the All Nigeria Editors’ Conference (ANEC) holding from August 3-7 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State with the theme Economic Diversification: Agriculture as Option for a Prosperous Nigeria.
About 300 Nigerian editors, practising farmers, agribusiness financiers, policy-makers and captains of industry are expected at the conference which host Governor Nyesom Wike said would afford the state the opportunity to showcase its investment potential.
Uduaghan was chosen to play the role of special guest of honour because of his place in the nation’s history as the governor who made agriculture and non-oil resources as alternative to dependence on crude oil receipts a state policy through the Delta Beyond Oil initiative.
He deployed the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) scheme to empower farmers in the state from the field through the value chain leading to the export of home-gown and processed spices among other products.
Already, Wike has assured editors of a successful outing.
In a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike noted that the conference would be a fitting platform to partner with editors and the media to consolidate development in both the state and the nation at large.
He noted that the state is hosting several national and international events as a demonstration of the fact that Rivers is an investors’ destination, stressing that the state is peaceful and the people hospitable.
“Hosting this year’s conference will also make the editors witness first-hand the development projects and programmes of my administration which has improved the living standard of the people”, the governor said.
Acting President of the Guild, Funke Egbemode, said “the sole emphasis on agriculture for this year’s conference was in response to the falling price of crude oil at the international market which has automatically reduced government’s earnings and revenue base.
“This is the first the conference is focusing on agriculture in the most pragmatic sense and it is meant to draw the nation’s attention to the limitless opportunities that abound in agriculture.”
