Kwara State Government has pledged support to the Federal Government’s drive to make Nigeria self-sufficient in Sugar production by the year 2025.
The state Governor, represented by his Deputy, Mr. Kayode Alabi made this known during an inspection visit of the Honourable Minister of industry, trade, and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo to the Nigerian Sugar Research Institute in Ilorin, the state capital.
Mr. Alabi expressed optimism that with the manner the Honourable minister is driving the ministry, Nigeria would be self-sufficient in sugar production by 2025. This, he said, will also boost job opportunities for the teaming youths in the state.
The Deputy Governor lauded Otunba Adebayo for what he noted, was an excellent job, said the massive investment in the research institute would create revenue for the government.
Otunba Adebayo who noted that the Coronavirus pandemic has dramatically slowed down the work at the site, expressed satisfaction at the level of completion, saying that the project will be commissioned by the end of this year.
When completed, the Minister said, the Institute will add to the number of seedlings people can use in their farms to increase sugar cane production, which will also enable Nigeria to be self-sufficient in sugar production and export to other African countries.
Conducting the Ministerial Inspection Team round the different sections of the project site, the Executive Secretary of the NSDC, Dr. Abdullateef Busari explained that, the seed multiplication is already in operation and that the Sugar Research Institute would serve as a research and capacity development institution.
Dr. Busari added that the project is part of about ten factories the NSDC is planning to establish across the country where training and research in the sugar industry will be conducted for staff of sugar companies and other interested members of the public.
On the Inspection team of the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment were the Kwara State Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Mr. Kayode Alabi, Kwara State Commissioners for Agriculture and Natural Resources, and his counterpart at the Ministry of Enterprise, Estu of Tsaragi, Alh Aliyu Abdullahi who is the chairman of the council of NSDC among others.
