Coconut election: Okoroji , others emerge, woo Nigerians into COSIN

The election into executive positions of the National Coconut Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NACOPPMAN) has re-elected Amb. Okoroji, Nma Okechukwu for another four years along with 15 others just as business investors were hosted to dinner to showcase the potential of the produce for health and wealth creations.

This national election was held yesterday in Abuja under the watch of Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry ,Trade and Investment  (FMITI) Otunba, Adebayo Adeniyi ably represented by Mr. Felix Charles Nwachinemere along with Federation of Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN) ably represented by the Executive Secretary, Prince Peter Bakare and representative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Mrs. Aisha Aliyu and National Institute for Oil palm (NIFOR) ably represented by Director, Head, Extension/ Economics, Dr. Olusegun Solomon.

In a very peaceful election anchored by  Hauratu Ladi Yakubu, Mrs Okoroji Oke chukwu was given overwhelming returned votes to re-emerge as the President with Alhaji Sani Ahmed becoming the National Deputy.

 Other officers are in the following order

1.     National Vice President (NVP), South East, Mr. Elvis Oliver, NVP. North Central, Retired MAJ. GEN. Sardauna John Davies, NVP North East, Senator Umara Lawan, NVP, South South, Mr. David Uzan, NVP South West, Prince Mesi, Doheto George Gbetoyon, NVP, North West....

Others are national secretary and Assistant, Mr. Enok Ekub-Nse Sunny and Sunrise Stephen, National Publicity secretary/ Assistant, Mr. Emeka Ugwoeje and Udo-Umoren, Umoren, National Financial Secretary, Miss Kalifat Abimbola, Ayeni, Treasurer- Mercy Rufus, National Organizing Secretary/ Assistant are Olufunmilayo Ewa, Oluwa and Esimaje Sandra Adaobi.

In her acceptance speech, the National President promised to continue in the upliftment of the produce to meet the aspiration of Coconut Sufficiency in Nigeria (COSIN) towards achieving 10,000 hectares plantation across the states of the federation saying this was how our daily import of 50 tons can be checkmated.

Okechukwu assured Nigerians of availability of improved seedlings through  NIFOR and FMARD to ensure early maturing fruiting for investment’s soonest dividend , saying  ‘‘gone are those years when coconut start  fruiting between 9-15 years. Now there are improved varieties at our mandated research institute under the ministry of Agriculture that have been assisting us to plant early fruiting coconut trees in three years. Gone are the days when you don’t know how to sell at harvest, now coconut is in great demand and gone are those days when it is only the farmers that plant coconut, now everyone with a plot of land can plant 20 coconuts. Gone are those days when a coconut fruit sell for N50-100. Now a coconut fruit sell between N300-N800 ’’

In another event held as business dinner for interested investors in coconut plantation, the chief of party to COSIN, a public/private initiative to economic growth, Mr. Eugene Hyacinth Ossai encouraged the congregation of investors that gathered at the ‘‘doubletree coconut investment’’ to harness economic potentials of the crop to empower themselves and the coming generations.

Ossai pointed there are 15 species of coconut seedlings suitable for planting in all our ecologies as he advised that people should grow organically for more premiums, adding all aspect of the crop value chain has business potential one can invest to make great dividend economically.

Also speaking as member of panellists, the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Alhaji Umar Rufai assured investors that his organization would be available to provide all needed risk management as regards its mandate to reduce incidences of losses characterised to agricultural business at all the value chains with special reference to flood risk.