FG donates modern rice processing machines to Kogi

The Federal Government has donated two modern rice processing machines to boost rice production in Kogi State. This is part of government’s national programme on improving rice production in Nigeria.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Olufemi Bolarin, said this when the National Good Governance Tour team visited a rice farm project in Banda, in commencement of the tour of projects in the state.

He said that the state government was making efforts to improve on the achievements recorded during last year’s dry season rice farming, noting that 1,200 hectares of land were cultivated in the past farming season.

Mr. Bolarin said that the state government had acquired cultivation and processing facilities ahead of the forthcoming dry season farming period.

“As we speak to you, we have cleared the land required for the project; we have bought our combine harvesters and other facilities.

“We must thank the Federal Government for the donation of two giant rice mills to the state to boost our rice production and processing capacity,’’ he said.

He said that the state government was committed to improving the lives of the people through agriculture.

Mr. Bolarin said that the state had invested huge sums of money in the cultivation of specific crops in 120 farms in its 13 local government areas.

He said that the Karara soya beans farm was one of the model farms established by the state government to support participatory agriculture in the rural communities.

In his remark, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said that the agricultural projects in state were examples of visionary leadership in the area of rural empowerment through agriculture.

The minister, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Media, Kingsley Osadolor, said that food security in Nigeria would be guaranteed if the synergy between states and the Federal Government was strengthened.

He said that the Federal Government was supporting rice production in Zamfara, Ebonyi, and other states of the federation.

“What you are seeing and have been hearing in Kogi and other states of the federation, particularly in Ebonyi, Kebbi and Zamfara states are results of the collaborative efforts between the federal and state governments,’’ he said.

Earlier, the Deputy Director in charge of Monitoring in the Federal Ministry of Works, Bola Aganaba, told the team that work on sections three and four of the Abuja –Lokoja expressway was progressing steadily.

He said that over 90 per cent of section three of the road would be completed and ready for use by December while 80 per cent of section four would be delivered before March, 2013.

Mr. Aganaba said that the portions of the road that were prone to flooding were receiving adequate attention by the contractor handling them.

He assured that the Abuja-Lokoja Expressway would be delivered on schedule, noting that the initial funding challenge that had affected the progress of the work had been exited.

The tour team was received on arrival by state government officials led by the Secretary to the State Government, Olugbemiro Jegede.