From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

The Republic of South Korea has handed over mechanised farming equipment worth over $500,000 to the Bayelsa State government.The items include; four tractors, two rice transplanting machines, one rice seeding machine, 10,000 rice seed beds, and four 10-tonne per day rice mills.

The equipment were handed over to the state government by the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Rear Admiral Kim Pankyu (rtd), on Thursday at the School-to-Land Farm complex in Yenagoa. Speaking at the handover and rice planting demonstration ceremony, Pankyu said the donation was part of a collaborative partnership between his country and Bayelsa State.He noted that Bayelsa was endowed with a suitable soil and favourable weather for rice cultivation and expressed the optimism that the equipment and training of the state’s personnel would help boost rice production in the state.“This event underscores the agricultural cooperation between both governments. The governor visited South Korea last year at the invitation of the South Korean government. His Excellency explored opportunities for agricultural cooperation with my country.”Korea is promoting rice farming in Bayelsa by providing $500,000 of agricultural equipment. This support will help Bayelsa,” he said.In his remarks, Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, said the equipment was the first result of the collaboration between the two governments.He noted that the gesture would boost the state’s effort to enhance food security and stimulate economic growth.He also stated that the training of Bayelsans and the equipment would increase the productivity and efficiency of farmers just as the technology transferred would build their capacity and create employment opportunities.The governor equally urged investors to take advantage of the natural resources and the peaceful environment to invest in the state.The Bayelsa helmsman, who said his foreign trips have exposed him to a lot of opportunities in the agric sector, directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources to procure more farming equipment to boost production in the state.He also called on TYM Machinery, one of the companies he visited in Korea, to establish a manufacturing plant in the state in order to create employment and stimulate economic growth.”The partnership between Bayelsa State and the Republic of South Korea is a game-changer for our agricultural sector, and this handover of agric equipment and rice planting demonstration ceremony is just the beginning,” he said.The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Sese, said the donation demonstrated South Korea’s commitment to human capital development to enhance self-reliance in Africa.Prof. Sese, who noted the governor’s passion for agriculture, stated that the equipment would boost the state’s drive to attain food security.At the event were the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr Peter Akpe, his deputy, Irorodamie Komonibo, and other top government functionaries.At a state banquet in honour of the ambassador and his delegation held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall on Wednesday night, Governor Diri conferred on Pankyu the honorary citizenship of Bayelsa.He said the honour was in appreciation of the role of the Asian country and its envoy in the development of the state.Diri also assured of stronger ties between Bayelsa and South Korea.