By George George Idowu
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has pledged the state’s readiness to fulfil all requirements necessary for the establishment of a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ).
This commitment was made on Friday when a delegation from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security went to assess the potential sites for the proposed project.
According to the governor, 254 hectares of land in Ukpake, Ajaokuta local government area, have been allocated for this purpose.
He said the location was chosen for its strategic advantages, including access to essential resources such as water, electricity, gas, a railway line, and the proposed international cargo airport in Adogo.
The governor assured the delegation of the state’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for the project, which aligns with his administration’s industrialization policy and focuses on agricultural investment.
He emphasized that SAPZ would enhance agricultural productivity, provide market access for farmers, and generate employment opportunities for the local population.
The governor praised the AfDB for the initiative, which he believes will boost job creation and ensure food security in Kogi State and across Nigeria.
On the part of Dr. Bashir Ibrahim Gaya, who led the AfDB delegation, he explained that the assessment tour aimed to verify the readiness of states for the second phase of SAPZ establishment in Nigeria
The first phase, according to him covering seven states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has already commenced.
State officials, including the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Ashiru Idris, and the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Timothy Ojomah expressed strong political support for the project.
They highlighted that the proposed agro-industrial facility would benefit from reliable supplies of raw and semi-processed agricultural produce from the state’s Agricultural Transformation Centres in Alape, Anyigba, and Osara
The SAPZ is expected to process a variety of agricultural products, including maize, cassava, rice, palm oil, cashew, sugarcane, and fish.
The SAPZ project, a collaborative initiative between the AfDB, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Kogi State Government, aims to attract significant foreign and domestic private sector investments.