The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairmanship candidate for Nkanu East Local Government Area, Engr. Mike Ogbuekwe, has commended the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for sustaining his administration’s investment in agriculture through the distribution of free farm inputs to thousands of farmers across the state.
Ogbuekwe gave the commendation on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after Mbah flagged off the 2026 Agricultural Free Inputs Distribution Programme, which will see over 63,000 registered smallholder farmers receive free fertilisers, improved seeds, agrochemicals, cassava stems and other essential farm inputs aimed at increasing food production and boosting agricultural productivity.
Ogbuekwe, who was the immediate past Special Adviser on Agriculture to Mbah, described the programme as another clear demonstration of Governor Mbah’s unwavering commitment to agricultural development, food security and the economic empowerment of rural communities.
According to him, the consistent support being provided to farmers reflects a government that understands the strategic role of agriculture in economic transformation.
“Nothing pleases me more than when a government is investing in the development of the economy of our rural communities. Development of emerging markets economies is faster when you apply the bottom up approach. South Korea remains a valid example.
“Dr Peter Mbah’s investment in farm inputs for farmers is a clear form of subsidy program directly applied to the farmers themselves.
“Dr. Peter Mbah has, once again, empowered farmers across Enugu State by providing them with free farm inputs. Free fertilisers, free improved seeds, free agrochemicals, free cassava stems, everything farmers need to achieve a successful farming season has been made available. With this level of support, all we expect is a bumper harvest in 2027,” Ogbuekwe said.
The former Managing Director of the Enugu State Marketing Company Limited noted that the intervention aligns with his long-held belief that sustainable agricultural development begins with empowering farmers at the grassroots.
He stressed that providing farmers with timely access to quality inputs would not only increase yields but also improve household incomes, strengthen food security and stimulate rural economic growth.
He further applauded Governor Mbah’s vision of transforming agriculture from subsistence farming into a commercially driven sector through investments in mechanisation, agro-processing, value addition and export-oriented production.
Ogbuekwe urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the farm inputs and support the state’s agricultural transformation agenda, expressing confidence that the initiative would significantly increase food production and contribute to the continued economic growth of Enugu State.