Cross River to create 3000 jobs

Governor of the state, Prof. Ben Ayade

*  constructing N7bn cocoa processing plant

The Cross River Government has said that the state will create more than 3000 jobs for the youths through  cocoa production and processing in the state, this was disclosed during the First International Cocoa Summit, held in Abuja.

Mr. Chris Agara, Chairman AA universal Agro Indusries LTD & The Special Adviser on Cocoa Development Mr Oscar Ofuka

Cross river who is behind Ondo state in cocoa production, holding the position of the second highest producing state in Nigeria displayed its rich cocoa produce at the summit. The Special Adviser on Cocoa Development Mr Oscar Ofuka, who represented the  Governor of the state, Prof. Ben Ayade at the 1st international summit said that the state is working hard to improve more on the level of its production, to overtake the current position held by Ondo state.


The Special Adviser on Cocoa Development adds the drive of the state government to increase the level of its production is to be able to meet local and international requirement as the state cocoa is currently the best in Nigeria and in the world. he stressed that inorder to increase production more than 3000 jobs will be created as the government is currently  constructing a N7 billion cocoa processing plant in Ikom, Ikom Local Government Area of the state to boost cocoa production and to add value to cocoa, being massively produced in the state.

Mr Oscar Ofuka, further disclosed that the state government had planted over 5,000 hectares of cocoa in its cocoa estate, adding that it was formulating a policy that would mandate 70 per cent local consumption of cocoa in the state.

He said that the government was also supporting local cocoa farmers in the state to boost production, to enable them to overtake other states in cocoa production.

‘’We are already trying to make it a policy that, school children in the state will be fed with cocoa related products.

“We have achieved so much on cocoa production. ‘’Before now, cocoa was relegated to the background.
“We have been able to raise nursery to expand our cocoa farms. We have government cocoa estate with about 5,000 hectares planted already.‘’The state government has made it as a policy to open new cocoa farms across the state.

“We have been exporting cocoa all this while but now, government has come up with a policy that will encourage local consumption of about 70 per cent of the cocoa produced in the state.
‘’This is to ensure that jobs are created.


He, however, called on private investors and other relevant stakeholders to invest in cocoa production in the state, promising them of an enabling environment for their investments.