The Ogun State Government on Thursday, December 21, launched its Mitros Ofada rice, grown, milled and bagged in the State.
The Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Bagudu who represented Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, launched the Ofada rice at the Mitros rice mill in Asero, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking at the launch, Bagudu who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Agriculture, commended Ogun state under the leadership of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, saying “Ogun has shown with rice that Nigeria can achieve what it achieved with crude oil”.
Also speaking, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele commended Governor Amosun and so said the CBN will always give its “support to this kind of initiative”.
In his remarks, the Ogun state governor thanked President Buhari, saying “his administration has shown serious commitment in Nigeria’s agricultural sector”.
“Our President encourages us to grow what we eat which Ogun is currently doing.
“I am proud to tell you today that Ogun state under my leadership is the industrial capital of Nigeria.
“When we grow what we eat, the naira appreciates and this is what Ogun state has started doing and will not stop”, Amosun said.
In a similar vein, Nigerian musician, Dbanj, praised Governor Amosun for launching Mitros Ofada rice.
“As a farmer, I must commend the effort of the governor for this. I am proud of this state”, Dbanj said.
The Ogun state government placed the price of the rice for 50kg at N11,500 (eleven thousand five hundred naira).
Dignitaries present at the event include, CBN governor, Godwin Emiefile, Kebbi state governor, Bagudu Abubakar, Ogun state Commissioners.
Others were: Nollywood stars, Odunlade, Saidi Balogun amongst others.
The rice is ready for sale to the public this Christmas season in all the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas of the state.
The sale of the rice according to the State government is aimed at ending scarcity and smuggling of rice commodities as well as making it available to the generality of the resident this Yuletide.
The governor of the state, who led some members of the state Executive Council on an inspection tour of the production factory at Sawonjo, Iju Local Council Development Area in Ogun West Senatorial district of the state on Friday, December 15, expressed satisfaction at the volume of local rice production on the ground.
Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun speaking during an inspection tour of the production factory at Sawonjo, Iju Local Council Development Area in Ogun West Senatorial district of the state on Friday, December 15, 2017.
Governor Amosun revealed that two other production factories will be sited in Asero, Abeokuta, in Ogun Central Senatorial District and Ijebu North East in Ogun East Senatorial district. – Aledeh