FG, private sector in sugar industry to create thousands of jobs- Minister
FG, private sector in sugar industry to create thousands of jobs- Minister.
Minister of Industry, Trade Investment, Chief Niyi Adebayo, has reiterated commitment of the federal government to partner with private investors in sugar industry in a bid to accelerate the nation’s economic growth.
Speaking at the official commissioning of multi billion naira Nigeria Sugar Institute located in Jimba-Oja town in Ifelodun local government council area of Kwara state on Thursday, Chief Adebayo said that investment already made by the federal government and the private sector in sugar industry is capable of creating over thousands of jobs in agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
“The government therefore recognizes the need to deepen the partnership with the private sector to drive access to skills development, research and development in a manner that promotes competition, productivity, profitability and sustainability in the sugar industry”, he said.
The minister, who commended the Kwara state government and other stakeholders in the partnership for the support given to the ministry in actualizing the project, pledged to meet expectations of the country in sugar development through sugar master plan.
Also speaking, the executive secretary of the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI), Dr. Latif Busari, said that among objectives of the institute the institute was to develop human resource to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the Nigeria sugarcane industry.
Dr. Busari, who said that the institute would ensure adequate capacity building and sustainability in the sugar industry, added that it will undertake regular refresher technical and management courses for staff of sugar companies as well as fresh graduates desiring to make a career in the sugar industry.
“The objective of the NSI is also to conduct cutting edge research and development programmes that will underpin and catalyze the development of sugar industry; to tap new technologies and innovative approaches as they emerge for the benefit of the industry; and to do all such other things as may be considered incidental or conducive to the overall development of the sugar industry”, he said.
Also speaking, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq pledged continued provision of conducive environment for industrial growth, in partnership with both federal government and private sectors in the country, for benefit of residents of the state.
The governor, who said that the state has potential of providing enough sugarcane for sugar industries in the country and West Africa at large, said that the state had favourable soil and climate for cultivation and production of the agricultural produce in the state.
In his speech at the event, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, said that the project is capable of advancing course of developing Nigeria in line with the federal government’s aspiration of creating more capability and potentiality in sugar industry for rapid economic growth
“This is a mission well-accomplished because it will further boost industrialisation and investment in sugar production as well as create platforms for job creation and eradication of youths restiveness in our society” , he said.
The traditional ruler used the event to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for providing quality leadership which, he said, had led to the actualization of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the National Sugar Institute (NSI) of India and the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) of Nigeria recently.
“The age-long harmonious diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and India has further been fulfilled by this project with advanced technologies and innovations. I am aware that this new project would generate more than 400 mega-watts of electricity and also produce more than 160 million litres of ethanol”..
