The Eledidi and traditional ruler of Edidi town in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Gabriel Aboyeji, has called on local and foreign investors to bring investments to the agrarian community, promising them a rewarding business experience.
Speaking when he hosted United States-based investors with interest in cassava production and processing from Ecotech-rab and Tranfeed Group and their Nigerian partner from Satco Global Group, in his palace, Oba Aboyeji said no investor would regret investing in his domain.
The investors are set to establish cassava production and processing factories in the state in the next 18 months.
The traditional ruler, who also promised the investors that there would be no hindrance to their operations, urged them to consider indigenes of the community first for employment as soon as the project commences operation.
Oba Aboyeji assured the investors of his support, saying that the community is a peaceful place.
Also speaking with Community News at site of the proposed factories, the Group Managing Director of the partnering company, Engineer Femi Philips, said the factories would gulp $100 million and create about 2,500 jobs when completed.
Philips, who spoke shortly after the courtesy visit to the Eledidi said, “the project is expected to occupy about 5,000 hectares of land. The first phase will be about two streams of 120 tons per day and there will be an upgrade of 48 tons per day; giving us about 168 tons per day.
“We are going to bring our expertise into planting cassava in a manner that will allow for optimum yield. So, we are bringing our species from outside Nigeria and blending it with local species in Nigeria. We are looking forward to working with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in this area.
“We are going to be producing starch powder, ethanol and feeds for livestock and others. It is an agro-business, sort of.”
Also speaking the President of Ecotech-rab, Jorge de la Torre, said “we are coming with our partners to establish the agro-industrial project in this community in order to improve the living condition and create employment for people. We intend to start these two plants before the end of 2017. We will work very hard for the successful completion of the project. This is our target and this is what we want.”
On his part, President of Tranfeed Group, Dr. Tim Dumah, said that “the good news is that we are going to train people on new skills. For that reason, I think it is a win-win situation for the community and us.
“Agriculture is the in-thing in Nigeria now; we want to put this community on the world map through creation of jobs by the project.”
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