Dangote Set To Boost Agriculture With $200m Investment

*Alhaji Aliko Dangote

As the Dangote group plans to invest over $200m in the area of Rice and Sugar production in Jigawa state, the the President of the group of companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has called on governments at all level to focus on agriculture. Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in the Dutse, Aliko Dangote said agriculture is a sustainable means of economic development and growth for the country.He noted that if states government give much priority to subsistence farming, depending on oil revenue will be a thing of the past as dependence on monthly allocation from the federal government will not help the economy .

While disclosing that he intends to invest in the economy of the North especially Jigawa state through agriculture as a way of giving back to the people, he said his company is investing whooping sum of over 200m USD in the area of Rice and Sugar production.

Dangote said statistic has shown that by the year 2020 Nigeria’s population will raise to 200million and if government fails to concentrate fully on agriculture, “how can a nation feed such number of population, we must change our thinking on depending on oil revenue”.

He added that without investment in agriculture it will be to meet government’s day to day activities, “so our investment will create job opportunities for over 40,000 people across the state, just as the project will equally provide food, energy and animal feeds.

Responding, the state governor, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar commended Dangote Group of Companies for choosing Jigawa state for the investment in rice and sugar production, saying his administration welcome such project as the state is blessed with fertile land suitable for all type of farming.

Muhammad Badaru added that mechanized farming is the only solution to sustainable growth of any community, saying investors are already on ground to partner with the state in the area of agriculture. He pledged to do what it takes to kick off the project at appropriate time and assured the President of Dangote Group of Companies that his government will do everything possible to enlighten the benefiting community.

It will be recall that Dangote Group of Companies was in Jigawa state last year to solicit for land to invest in agriculture especially in rice and sugar production, already work has begun in Hadejia emirate where they chose Kaugama and Auyo as areas to conduct the project.

Vanguard