Shabait.com Asmara, 8 March 2010 – In an opening speech at the meeting of regional Administrators held today at the Denden Hall here in the capital, President Isaias Afwerki said that raising productivity is the guarantee of national objectives and vision.
The main agenda of the meeting in which the Ministers of Local Government and Agriculture took part is the advance preparations that need to be made for 2010 rainy season. The President gave extensive briefings focusing on the overall agricultural development plan at the national level, the supply and allocation of machineries and fuel, the re-organization of the structure and action programs of the regional administrations and the strengthening of popular participation in development programs.
Noting that all external acts of hostility under various guises essentially aimed at undermining the people’s work spirit and progress, he underscored that the primary task on the part of the general public towards rebuffing such a conspiracy is that of raising productivity. In this regard, President Isaias pointed out that the enemy ploy would have no major impact as the Eritrean people are reputed for rebuffing enemy conspiracy under any circumstances. The President called on the regional administrations to strengthen organizational capacity and work methodology with a view to further enhance popular participation in all development programs.
He stated that there would exist no food supply problem in 2010 as this year’s national budget gives priority to the task of ensuring food supply. In this connection, President Isaias reminded the regional administrations to apply efficient and speedy distribution mechanism in a manner that creates conducive ground for nationals to raise productivity and enhance their participation in development campaigns.
The President went on to explain that the national resources deployed in the agricultural sector in general and machineries, spare parts, fuel and others in particular for 2010 towards reinforcing productivity and economic
growth is not to be viewed lightly. To this end, he called on the regional administrations to strengthen work methodology and performance capability, besides enhancing popular participation. Commending the impressive contribution which members of the Defense Force have been and continue to make in the implementation of various development projects, President Isaias noted the need to create conducive ground that would enable the general public to eventually assume the responsibility of undertaking all development programs.
As regards the task of re-organization, he indicated that the proposals put forth need to be reviewed, and that in due course the necessary change would be effected in the structure and organization of regional administrations.
Following the President’s elucidation, the meeting held in-depth deliberations on the action programs of each regional administration in the domain of agriculture, infrastructure and other development ventures. The action programs of each regional administration mainly focus on soil and water conservation, construction of water catchments, dams, water diversion schemes and canals, as well as the leveling of land plots for the 2010 rainy season, promoting fruits and vegetable farming, boosting animal resources and the like. The action plan also incorporates the required budget and other imperatives for the implementation of the aforementioned programs.
The meeting concluded after President Isaias gave work directives as regards enriching the agricultural development plan for 2010 presented by the respective regional administrations, in addition to assuming the final shape shortly, and thus proceed to the implementation phase.
