Business
Anambra Partners Private Sector On Rice Production
The Anambra State gov
ernment has partnered with a private firm for the rehabilitation and expansion of the state’s Omor Rice Mill in Awka.
The State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, stated this in Awka on Friday while signing a backward integration Memorandum of Understanding with the private firm, Joseph Agro Industries Limited (JAI), through Public Private Partnership arrangement on the rice mill.
Obiano said the PPP arrangement will greatly enhance the economic development of the state and Nigeria.
He explained that with the progress already made by the state government in rice production, the rehabilitation and expansion of the Omor Rice Mill will almost eliminate the state’s rice supply deficit.
He said upon the completion of the project, it would translate to accelerated development of human and technical capacity for the state which will in turn enhance rice production.
The governor said with the project coming on stream, it will have direct impact on the growth of internally generated revenue of Anambra State.
He commended the private firm for its support of the state government’s cardinal points and objectives for agriculture and also in the process of providing job opportunities for the state indigenes by using the out growers scheme.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the firm, Mr Ken Irhioge, said China Machinery Equipment Corporation, a leading global EPC provider has been appointed technical partners to the firm to support in up-scaling the mill’s capacity. Irhiogbe said the firm will construct a green energy bio- mass power plant in the rice mill using rice husk as feedstock.
He said the company will collaborate with the Confucius institute and the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, to produce the best technology for the Rice Mill.
The company’s director said the firm will produce 167,000 metric tounes of rice paddles using the modern equipment.