Abia State Government has said it will initiate a fresh open bidding process soon to bring in more credible investors in her four farm estates established across the State.
The move is coming against the backdrop of an earlier announcement by the government about the revocation with immediate effect, of contracts for the management of the four farm estates, saying the managers failed in their contractual obligations.
The affected contractors are Providence Resources Ltd. in charge of Abia Cocoa Farm Estate, Agbozu; Manglore Farms Ltd. for Abia Cashew Estate, Umunneochi.
Others are South Estate Farm and Agro Investment Processing Company, Ukwa Nkporo Oil Palm Estate, and Great Nobles Integrated Ltd., which managed Amaeke and Ndi Oji Abam Rubber Plantations.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, who announced these in a statement, said the directive was effective from January 1.
“A fresh open bidding process will be initiated shortly to bring in more credible investors into those farm estates under favourable terms and conditions,” he said.
He stated that the fresh contract terms would “not only be transparent but also best protect the interests of the state and her people and align with international best practices,” warning all the affected investors to discontinue every activity in all the affected farms forthwith.
Agbaeze stated that the government took the decision after carefully reviewing the existing contracts on the farm estates across the state, explaining that the contracts were entered into under terms and conditions that were not in the interest of government
“It has further been observed that even the stated terms and conditions of these contracts have been substantially and serially breached by the so-called investors.
“This administration has a sacred duty to preserve the state’s resources for the greater good of all Abians in its quest to restore the state to its lost glory,” he said.
Justifying the contract revocations, the agric commissioner insisted that it would be irresponsible of the Abia State government to allow the observed contract breaches to continue, or to further subject the State to such clearly compromised conditions.
