Business
Hails Edo For Attracting $531m To Palm Oil Sector
The Federal Government has hailed the Edo State Government’s sustained collaboration and investment in the agricultural sector.
This came after the state government said it attracted over $531million in the last nine months to the palm oil sector through the Edo State Oil Palm Programme.
The State Coordinator for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Wellington Omoragbon, said this at the inauguration of FOARE Mushroom Production Centre and the launch of the 2022 Farming Season in Benin City.
Omoragbon urged citizens to support the government’s programmes designed to accelerate food production, processing and marketing along the various agribusiness value chain.
Meanwhile, in his speech, the Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Stephen Idehenre, also said the state had allocated over 62, 000 hectres to investors.
Idehenre also explained that the Godwin Obaseki-led administration had prioritised agriculture to ensure the realisation of the Making Edo Great Again Agenda.
“So far, we have attracted investments valued at $531.2million in nine months to the oil palm sector alone via the ESOPP. It was created to bring opportunities to large, medium and small-scale investors in the oil palm sub-sector with the goal of de-risking investments in agriculture”
“The programme approach involves the use of Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil and Free Prior Informed Consent guidelines to engage communities in land allocation. A total of 62,500 hectares have been allocated to investors. The programme is expected to create over 200,000 jobs across the value chain”
“We will add over 1,000,000 metrics tons to local production of Crude Palm Oil by 2030,” the commissioner added.
He stated that the newly inaugurated production centre would create 50 direct and 200 indirect jobs.
“I thank the proponents of this venture for their commitment to the cause of supporting the government in wealth creation through innovative approaches such as this”, he said.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.