Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday laid the foundation of the N30b biggest West Africa poultry/hatchery farm along Kaduna -Abuja road.
The farm is to be establish by Olam group in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.
Governor in his speech entitled Business is happening in Kaduna’ while performing the ground-breaking ceremony for the Olam Integrated Feed Mill and Poultry project in Chikpiri Gabas village, said the project was not about the size of the facility but jobs that would be created in building and running the poultry project.
el-Rufai said he believed that the return of vibrant economic activity, and the reduction of poverty will drive prosperity and reduce the divisions that became pronounced as the state’s economy entered dire straits from the late 1980s.
According to the governor: “I am delighted to welcome you all to this ground-breaking operation for the largest agro-allied investment project in Kaduna State. We acknowledge the confidence that the Olam group is displaying in the soundness of our policies and in the prospects of Kaduna State by choosing to site this USD 150m poultry project here.
“When I led a delegation from the Kaduna State Government to Olam’s headquarters in Singapore for discussions with their senior management in September last year, we went with a clear message that Kaduna is open for business, and that the government views the promotion of investments as vital for the realisation of inclusive growth and shared prosperity. Olam was persuaded, and they have pleasantly surprised us by the sheer scale of the investment project they have embarked on.” El-Rufai added: “Thanks to Olam, Kaduna State will be host to the largest poultry farm with integrated feedmill in sub-Saharan Africa”
“ The farmers that have an expanded market for their grains through the demand from the feed mill and other value-chain activities that are stimulated”
“We are today taking another significant step in advancing our governance agenda to create jobs and improve life chances for the people of Kaduna State. Amidst the challenges that confront us, we are drawing attention to the opportunities that abound. Kaduna State has comparative advantage in agriculture and mining; the government is delighted that many investors agree that we in deed offer a decent business proposition”el-Rufai said.
“ Others are beginning discussions on new projects. We hope that the projects announced will be coming on stream with similar promptness like Olam’s. The government of Kaduna State gratefully acknowledges and thanks all the companies that are supporting our quest to develop Kaduna State” he said.
On his part,minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh,who spoke through a director, Obina George Opera,director said el-rufai’s investment drive has started yielding fruits,stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari’s diversification of economy from oil to agriculture will remain the administration’s top priority.
Ogbeh however challenged Olam to embark on research to find vaccine against Alvan Influenza and other poultry related diseases.
“This administration will promote all year round agricultural activities and agriculture will no longer be seasonal. We will revamp dams across the nation for irrigations” Ogbeh said.
Also speaking,Country Head,Olam Nigeria,Mukul Mathur, said the N30b poultry project would produce one million day old chicks weekly when completed.
Mathur added that the feed mill capacity of 300,000 tonnes per annum will offer competitively price and specially formulated feeds for Nigerians
EX: Leadership.ng
