Food security, job creation our priority —Ogun commissioner

OGUN State Ministry of Agriculture has said that  its  mass cassava plantation programme and  rice   revolution are meant to ensure food security and enhance job creation for the people of the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju  Adebajo disclosed this while receiving members of the states  House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Forestry led by Honourable Harrison Adeyemi in continuation of House oversight visit to ministries, department and agencies in the state.

Adebajo, said the ministry within the period, purchased working implement for cultivation of 1,000  hectres  of  cassava at Awowo Model Farm Estate, construction of 70 units of fish cages for tilapia  production and establishment of poultry demonstration farm at Odeda.

She added that the ministry ensured the cultivation of 550 hectare of rice at Eggua and production of 2,450 metric-tone of the state branded MITROS rice.

According to the commissioner, the state was committed to enhancing the capacity of farmers in planting more crops which the state had the comparative advantage, saying crops like cassava, rice, cashew, cocoa and cotton, among others were being focused for human and industrial use.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Adeyemi, challenged the ministry to step up efforts at ensuring increased revenue for government and mass food production for the people.

In a related development, Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kola Lawal, said through the supervision of his ministry, to raise about 120,000 seedlings, which were meant for the establishment of 250 hectare of forestry plantation within the area of Omo Forestry Reserve.

Lawal, said the ministry was working relentlessly to increase the size of forested land in the state through the creation of 175 hectare of fresh plantation within Omo Forestry reserve.

The commissioner also assured that efforts were being intensified to reduce illegal felling of forest trees, movements of round logs from the state to other states had equally been banned for the economic growth of Ogun State; pointing out that the ministry had achieved about 55 per cent reduction rate in flitches operation.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee, Honourable Adeyemi charged the ministry to redouble its efforts at curbing deforestation and development of forest reserves in the state.