In furtherance of the new management objective to reposition the Ayibeku Oil Palm Company Ltd, Cross River State, a partnership development meeting has been held between the company’s management and the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research, NIFOR.
Chairman, Ayibeku Board of Directors, John Gaul Lebo, at the meeting, briefed the Director General NIFOR, C. E. Ikuenobe and its Director of Oil Palm Development, on the Ayibeku replanting programme scheduled for commencement in a matter of weeks. He also informed that due to the two years closure of the estate due to communal clashes in Okarara community, one of the major donor of land to the estate, to reset business, it was imperative that the company gets into new development partnerships with NIFOR and the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria, OPGAN, to develop a good palm seedlings multiplication programme, quality nursery programme and the empowerment of local farmers to form part of its outgrower programme.
Gaul again informed the NIFOR team that Ayibeku is back on track and is currently developing a new development and sustainability plan that will empower local farmers and position the estate to become the prime oil palm company in Nigeria and beyond.
Responding, the DG of NIFOR noted that Ayibeku Oil Palm Estate was developed in 1976 alongside Okomu Oil Palm Estate, Edo State, to be the top Nigerian oil palm brand. However, following the privatization of Ayibeku Oil Palm Estate to Winsong M House Ltd and the subsequent challenges with the CRS government and host communities, it is exciting to see the company back on board. He assured the Chairman of full technical support and development partnership to ensure quality delivery in its implementation plan.
Both parties agreed to set up a joint field visit alongside the leadership of OPGAN in the next few days and thereafter sign off an implementation MOU.