From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has inaugurated the Fanmilk-Danone Model Dairy Farm located in Odeda Farm Institute, with a call on investors to take advantage of the conducive business environment to establish their businesses in the state.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony on Tuesday, Abiodun also reiterated the commitment of his administration to increase its investment in agriculture as a means of creating more jobs for the people of the state.
The governor, who described agriculture as an important sector in providing jobs and security for the people, stated that the commissioning of the dairy farm would complement the efforts of the government in developing the sector.
He noted that the new factory was another symbolic commitment to the successful implementation of his government’s Public-Private Partnership initiative.
The governor recalled that no fewer than 60,000 farmers in the state had benefited from the anchor borrowers programme funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria, urging the stakeholders in the agricultural sector to partner with the state in order to tap from the abundant resources in the sector.
“We are walking our talk in the agricultural sector. With the establishment of the farm, about 1,000 young people have been trained in the supply chain of milk. This farm institute is the oldest around here and the farm is a very important source of milk locally. We are happy to be part of the successful stories because milk collection will complement our other products like cassava, poultry among others”, he said.
Speaking, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann, said the project was a perfect commitment to Public-Private Partnership, applauding the governor for his strong involvement to ensure that the project became a reality.
She explained that Fan Milk has demonstrated its commitment to succeed and be an important player in contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic development, stressing the project would help in diversifying local production of food in the country by raising dairy products.
The ambassador posited that the state would benefit immensely as hundreds of its people would be trained in the facility in animal husbandry and milk value chain.
In his remarks, Special Adviser to the President on Development Policy, Prof. Mohammed Salisu, said that the Federal Government was committed to meeting the nutritional needs of Nigeria, noting that the establishment of the dairy farm was a good omen that should be encouraged.
In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, commended Governor Abiodun for being passionate about the development of the agriculture sector, stressing that the commissioning of the dairy farm would provide job opportunities for a large number of people in the state.
The Chairman, Fan Milk Plc, Mr Olatinka Akinkugbe, hinted that the farm would create about 2,000 jobs for the people of the area, appreciating the state government for its support.