OBJ acquires 2,559 hectares of land in Benue for mango plantation

FORMER president Olusegun Obasanjo has acquired 2,559 hectares of land in Benue State at a cost of N25 million, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Lawrence Onoja Jnr, told newsmen on Sunday.

Onoja said Obasanjo Farms Limited acquired the land for breeding exotic mango plantation and ranching of cattle for high  milk production.

He added that the hectares of land were in different locations in the state, noting that 2,420 hectares of land and another 139 hectares of land had been leased to Obasanjo Farms Limited in the state, at N10,000.00 per hectare.

According to him, “the approved hectares of land is leased out at N10, 000 per hectare, the cost is higher than what is given out to people.”

Onoja said the state government decided to lease out the land to Obasanjo Farms, owing to the current administration’s desire to partner relevant organisations to boost the economy of the state.

Onoja, who said Benue is blessed with abundant natural resources, added that the lease was subject to review after a period of five years.

The commissioner also disclosed that the state government would soon embark on renovation of some dams in the state, which he said, would include Aku Earth Dam in Guma, Ber-Agbum Dam in Ushongo and the Oweto Dam in Okoklo, Agatu Local Government Areas of the state.

‘’Let me also inform you that the Ortom-led administration has approved  the domestication of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and had directed the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Michael Gusa to send a draft bill to the state House of Assembly for adoption.

“We have taken a stance to approach the Federal Ministry of Works to revisit all abandoned Federal Government projects in the state for appropriate action because these abandoned federal roads in the state have become a dead trap for us in Benue,” Onoja stated.