Agriculture
FG, Flour Mills Partner On Sugar Production
Member, Rivers State House of Assembly and House of Representative aspirant for Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, Hon Aye Atamah Pepple, representing Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi (middle) harvesting plantain during St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Bakana, 2014 adult harvest thanksgiving service recently. Photo: Egberi .A. Sampson
The Minister of Trade and
Investment, Olusegun Aganga has inaugurated a N45 billion integrated, state-of-the-art sugar project in Sunti, Niger State.
Speaking during the event,recently at Sunti, the Minister said the accession was a milestone in President Goodluck Joanthan’s transformation agenda.
The project which is wholly owned by the Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) comprises a 16,500 hectare sugarcane estate and mill.
The Tide gathered that the project is part of the ministry’s investment’s approved Backward Integration Programme (BIP) for the production of local sugar in line with the provisions of the National Sugar Masterplan (NSMP).
Already, the company has invested N16 billion while the entire project is expected to be completed and commissioned before the end of 2016.
According to the Minister, when completed the project is expected to produce 100,000 metric tones of sugar annually.
He further added that it would also create 15,000 direct and indirect jobs and in addition generate 10 MW of electricity, produce animal feed and fertilizer as by products and save the country over $50 million yearly in foreign exchange.
Aganga noted that the implementation of the NSMP was an integral part of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).
“Today is another historic day as it represents another milestone in the implementation of the National Sugar Master Plan, an integral part of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution plan of Mr President”, he said.
Aganga said that the government as part of the NIRP has developed the plan as one of the sector-specific policies to diversify the Nigerian economy.
“Because we are importing about 97 per cent of the sugar we consume in this country when we can produce sugar from sugar cane, from this process we can produce sugar and generate electricity”, he said.
The chairman Flour Mills Nigeria, plc, John Goumantaros, in his remark, commended the president and minister for initiating and implementing the new sugar policy, even as he said the company would continue to take advantage of the government’s investment friendly environment.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.
