Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Israeli agro-business investment company, Agro Top Isreal, has indicated interest in the moribund Ogwe Golden Chicken poutry farm in Ukwa East Local Government of Abia State.
The multi-billion poutry farm was among the legacies of the late Premier of the defunct Eastern region, Dr Michael Okpara, which could not be sustained by subsequent administrations.
Business Development Manager of Agro Top Israel, Mr Ofer Zuntz, who led a delegation of the company and its development partners from Max Agro Farm, to Gov. Alex Otti, said the firm was interested and ready to revive the moribund poultry farm.
He expressed their readiness to partner Abia State in the agriculture sector particularly livestock.
The partnership, according to him, will bring value to both parties, adding that they are already operating in over 50 countries and five continents of the world.
He said their “company approaches business and investment with no exit strategy” as they have a policy of long-term business relationship.
Mr Zuntz commended Governor Otti for his easy accessibility while admitting that he has been to Nigeria several times and have never experienced such “open-door policy and business mindedness.”
Responding, Gov. Otti commended the Israeli company for its interest to invest in Abia State, a move he said, would boost the economy of the state.
He expressed the readiness of his administration to support every genuine investor interested in doing business in the state.
The Governor noted that his administration “is undertaking the resuscitation of similar moribund public-owned investments abandoned by previous administrations.”
He promised that the Government’s team would deepen discussions with the Israeli company with a view to considering the concessioning of the Ogwe Golden Chicken to them to improve productivity in the State.
Otti said: “Farming generally and specifically, poultry is an important aspect of our strategy. In the past, there has been poultry farms around the State that actually did well.
“One of them is the Ogwe Golden Chicken. It has been abandoned for a while but we have plans to get it back to life just like we are getting back to life, a lot of other abandoned industries and projects.
“So, we are not going to start from ground zero because there is something on ground. It may have become obsolete; technology may have moved but at least we have a location.
“By the time we ask all the questions and we are satisfied that you are the right partners, we can begin to think of concesioning the farm to you and your partners.”
Governor Otti also urged the firm to venture into piggery and other livestock production.
Speaking earlier, the Director of Max Agro Farms, Mr Ejike Nwankwo, said the firm had a relationship with the Israeli company on agricultural solutions with primary focus on poultry production.
He explained that the visit was intended to present themselves for investment that would be mutually beneficial to the partners.
Top Government officials including the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Cliff Agbaeze; Chief Strategy Officer to the Government, Mr Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu; Director-General, Public-Private Partnership and Investment Promotion Office, Mr Chinedu Chijioke; among others were present at the meeting.
