Buhari hails Sanwo-Olu for agricultural transformation agenda

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Buhari hails Sanwo-Olu for agricultural transformation agenda

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for sharing his administration’s vision of boosting agricultural production and reversing Nigeria’s negative balance of payments on food.

Speaking in Imota, during the commissioning of Lagos Rice Mill, Buhari said the measure will aid efforts at reducing the price of rice in Nigeria.

During the facility tour, Buhari said: “I am really happy with what I see and this shows clearly the love Mr Governor has for his people.”

In his remarks, Governor Sanwo-Olu said: “The programme covered all aspects of the rice value chain. Paddy processing was done in cottage mills. The programme graduated about 1,000 rice farmers across the value chain with different brands of packaged Ofada Rice in 500g and 1kg.

“The programme birthed the first integrated mill in South West Nigeria, a 2.5MTPH mill in Imota which was in operation till 2016. The mill had an annual output of 120,000 bags of 50kg of rice. The Lagos Rice Mill, Imota as presently called, is a 2x16MTPH standing on an area of 8.5Ha land with an annual paddy requirement of over 240,000MT to produce 2.5 million bags of 50kg rice per annum.”

Commissions $1.5bn deep sea port in Lagos

Similarly, President Buhari commissioned the $1.5 fully completed Lekki Deep Sea Port.

The president arrived at the Lekki Deep Sea Port at exactly 4.25 pm and headed straight for the official commissioning site.

He was received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun State) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti).

Also present were former Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; members of the Lagos State Executive Council, Managing Director, MD, of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA Mohammed Bello Koko; Director-General of NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh and Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Emmanuel Jime, traditional rulers, APC chieftains, among others.

Project ‘ll generate jobs— Sanwo-Olu

Speaking after the unveiling of the new port, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the project as the biggest infrastructure in the whole of West Africa, saying it would surely generate thousands of jobs in the country.

He said: “We are indeed excited that the project execution started during your regime and it is now completed during your tenure.”