The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) in partnership with Kogi state government is set to invest the sum of $350m into sugar production.
Leader of the delegation from NSDC, Alhaji Salihu Bkeke disclosed this yesterday when he led a team of some foreign investors to the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in Government House, Lokoja.
Alhaji Bkeke said the NSDC was saddled with the responsibility of making Nigeria self sufficient in sugar production, adding that they have discovered great potentials in the sugarcane production in Oguma, a community in Bassa local government aea of the state.
He said: “Kogi state government, I must say, is agricultural friendly. We have a master plan with a roadmap on possible ways of achieving this feat.
“Based on the roadmap we have in place, we look for potential sugar growing states, and Kogi state is one of the best states so far with such opportunities from the feasibility studies carried out recently.”
He pointed out that having discovered Kogi state as one of the state’s with such potentials, NSDC took it upon itself to seek investors who could come and invest in the state and make the dream
project a reality.
Bekeke noted that the council already has two investors, BUA Group and CONTEC Global who are willing to invest in the project , adding that the investors will need large portion of land where the projects would be sited.
“As a Council, we will assist in every way possible to see that the project takes off. On the part of the government, land will be needed, access roads, compensation will be given where necessary. The
investors are willing to invest, community social responsibility will be accorded priority,” he assured.
Speaking, the Project Director of CONTEC Global, Dr. Sashi Mozumder said his team was in Dekina and Bassa two years ago to collect samples which was studied and they turned out to be suitable for the project.
He added that the opportunity will assist the state in the production of Bio fertiliser, animal feed, and petro chemical production among others.
“If the state is ready to add any other projects, we are willing and open for discussions. We will ensure a win- win for everyone involved. The government, the groups and the host communities,” he stressed.
In his remarks, Governor Yahaya Bello said his administration, since assumption of office, keyed into the three cardinal points of President Muhammudu Buhari in the areas of security, fighting
corruption, reviving and revamping the economy through agricultural revolution.
Governor Bello said any serious government will do everything possible to secure lives, and create job opportunities, revealing that thestate was blessed with vast arable land fertile enough for various
agricultural produce.
He said: “Kogi is fast becoming a hub for investment. We have a deliberate policy here and we ensure we learn from previous mistakes. Your investment will be safe in our state. FSeel free, because Kogi is safe in terms of security.
