Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday launched the state’s own branded rice, MITROS, at the Farmers Market, Asero, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Governor Amosun, who launched about 110,000 bags of MITROS Rice, made up of Ofada and parboiled rice, produced, processed and packaged by the state government, said the state remains the industrial capital of Nigeria, following its determination towards improving and revamping the agricultural sector.
He further said his government was taking pro-active steps to provide infrastructural and agricultural demands for the influx of people relocating to the state from neighbouring states.
The governor added his administration will continue to partner with the federal government and organised private sector to actualize its vision of attaining sufficiency in agriculture.
MITROS is an acronym for Mission To Rebuild Ogun State (MITROS).
Also, in his remark, Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagudu, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, said the federal government had, in the last two and half years under President Buhari, taken steps to ensure the country’s agriculture sector is revamped.
Bagudu, who is also the chairman, Presidential Task Force on Commodity and Production, said the president graciously approved establishment of a Presidential Task Force on rice and wheat to make Nigeria self-sufficient in the production of those commodities.
He said, “For those who are conversant with Nigeria’s history, particularly at a time when we had a presidential committee to manage the importation of rice, this represents a paradigm shift for government that is visionary and committed to the Nigerian nation.’’
The state commissioner for agriculture, Mrs Adepeju Adebajo, said aim of the initiative was not only to eradicate poverty from the state, but also to improve their wellbeing and stop dependence of the people on imported foreign rice.
MITROS Rice is packaged in bags of 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 kilogrammes and will be sold to members of the public at a subsidized rate.
On his part, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, assured farmers in the country of low interest loans and called for improved cooperation from relevant stakeholders towards supporting agricultural revolution of the federal government.
In his goodwill message at the event, he commended the initiative of Ogun State government in the agricultural sector and charged other states across the country to emulate the developmental programmes of the Gateway State, in order to create job opportunities and strengthen our currency.
He said, “Any nation that fails to take agriculture seriously does so at her own peril and it is in recognition of this that the CBN has taken it upon itself to support the agricultural initiative of the federal government.”
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