Barring any unforeseen development, the ultra modern rice mill, being built by Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State in Ogoja, will be completed by December.

This was disclosed by the General Manager, AA Universal Agro Industries Ltd., Francesco Lucarelli, the contractor handling the project.

Lucarelli, who has spent over 10 years in Nigeria handling such projects, said: “The Cross River Rice Mill is an ultra modern with a storage capacity of over 6,500 metric tonnes,” making it the biggest in Nigeria.

He said all equipment for the project had arrived the site since April, adding that, “at the moment, the 37 metres height elevator, the 3,000 by two tonnes silos and the 500 by one tonnes silos have all reached advanced stages.”

A former special adviser to the Cross River governor on projects, Friday Odey, explained that “the rice mill will produce varieties of rice, create job opportunities, enhance revenue generation as well as boost the economy of the state.”

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Odey disclosed that “on completion, over 20,000 employees will be engaged to meet the basic three shifts work style in the milling factory.”

He affirmed that the project will be completed by December, adding that the vision behind it, will stand the test of time.

Earlier at the Ayade Integrated Farms, owned by the governor, George Ejikang, the farm manager, disclosed that “in a day, the harvester machine harvests about 15 tonnes, an equivalent of 300 bags of 50kg per bag.”

He said the 515-hectare farm, located in Bebi, Obanliku local government area, employs over 100 workers, thus improving the local economy even as it exposes the farmers to mechanised farming.