…plans to acquire 20,000 hectares of land for rice investors
Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State on Wednesday said that the state would soon become the largest producer of rice in the country as the government is set to acquire 20,000 hectares of land in Yewa North and Imeko Afon Local Government Areas for investors in rice production.
Abiodun who solicited the support of traditional rulers in the region(Yewaland) to provide the hectares of land in two weeks said that his administration had already brought in investors to cultivate and develop the land for mass production of rice in Nigeria
He disclosed this while commissioning the first phase of Imasayi-Iboro-Ayetoro road in Yewa North local Government Area of the State and which signifies the flag-off of the second phase leading to Ayetoro as it would ease transportation of farm produce from one place to another
The governor stressed that the intention of his administration was to turn Yewaland to rice capital of Nigeria through the help of foreign investors without the state spending a dime but to provide enabling environment for them to turn the place to rice development and processing centre of the country.
He emphasized that Yewaland is known for its agricultural potentials in food production, noting that his government would not hesitate to leave the legacies in the council areas as the food baskets of not just this state, but for the entire nation.
Abiodun divulged that the road is expected to ease movement of farm produce from farms to the various markets, in order reducing the rural-urban migration, and well as removing the obstacles of the hard-to-reach areas that make up the largely a frigate agrigarian conurbation.
He said “Yewa North and Imeko/Afon local government areas are known for their agricultural potentials and one of my legacies will be to leave these council areas and have them defined truly as the food baskets of not just this state, but for the entire country.
“I had spoken with the Head of Service. I have also spoken with Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, to challenge all the traditional rulers in Yewaland that we are looking for a 20,000 hectres of land
“We want to turn this part of Yewaland into a rice capital of Nigeria. We already have the investors that love the responses to turn this place into the rice development and rice processing center in Nigeria and I am deeply committed to that as such will be one of the legacies of my administration.
“Therefore, I am throwing it back to you Kabiyesi, go and help us look for land between now and the next two weeks.
“Government is not putting a dime into it, but will just be providing the needed enabling environment for the investors to turn this place into a rice capital of Nigeria.”
“This is in line with our Public Private Partnership (PPP) agenda. We will lift up the economic prosperity of this place; it will trickle down to individual prosperity and the lives of our people will never be the same again.” he added
The governor while speaking on the new road said ” We do not think that there is an escuseable for us not to begin the construction of this road because we cannot afford the entire budgetary provision at once at the time we were awarding it.
“But to demonstrate our commitment and sincerity of purpose, we chose to divide it into two phases to enable us complete the first phase, knowing that such will convince every doubting minds that we are indeed, sincere and committed to ensuring that we provided the needed infrastructure across this corridor.
“So today, we are here to commission the first phase, which is a 7-kilometer beginning from Imasayi-Iboro to Igan Okoto and by the same token, flag-off the construction of the second phase leading to Ayetoro. This will put-paid to all the rumours from mischief makers. Of course, of what benefit will it be if we commence the road and stop it half way? So, let the mischief makers go and look for another job”.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Work and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Adesanya, hinted the road is expected to foster trading activities within and around the various communities that make up the stretch
He noted that the project is being undertaking in consonance with Abiodun’s promises of not developing any part of the state at the expense if the others.
It was also a demonstration of the governor’s determination towards ensuring an all inclusive transformational infrastructure development across the state.