James Sowole in Abeokuta
Ogun State Government has reallocated resources under the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme to include, the support garment factory and other activities within the state’s Agro-Industrial Processing Zone.
The action was taken as part of efforts to accelerate implementation and expand economic opportunities in the state.
Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by Chief Economic Adviser and Chairman, Steering Committee for SAPZ, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, disclosed this in Abeokuta, during the Mid-Term Review Mission of the Programme by a team from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
He said the resource reallocation became necessary to ensure optimal utilization of available funding and maximise the economic potential of Ogun State’s agricultural sector.
The governor explained that nearly 75 percent of Ogun State’s landmass was suitable for both cash and food crops cultivation, making the SAPZ initiative vital to the state’s food security and economic development agenda.
“Ogun State is largely agrarian, with about 75 percent of its soil suitable for farming,” he said.
While addressing the AfDB delegation led by Mr. Bernard Ozinma, the governor noted the Integrated Industrial Platform, Remo, a free trade Zone with private partnership with the state government consisted of four major zones within the hub.
The zones are Green Agriculture Zone, Logistics and Distribution Zone, Light Industrial Zone and Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone being the largest zone, with over 2,000 hectares earmarked within the Arise Integrated Industrial Platform.
He explained his administration was pursuing quick wins capable of stimulating immediate economic activities that would positively impact the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP).
Abiodun also highlighted several donor-supported intervention programmes being implemented in the State, including; OGSTEP, OG-CARES, RAAMP and the Value Chain Development Programme.
Under these initiatives, agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, herbicides, urea, rice seedlings and cassava cuttings, were heavily subsidised for farmers to improve productivity and boost food production across the state.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon. Olaitan Olabintan, said the hub was strategically selected within the state’s aerotropolis corridor to attract both local and foreign investors as well as the location of the Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATC) located at Sawonjo in Yewa-North and Technology Park, Ijebu-East to support agricultural value chains within the zones.
In his remarks, the AfDB Task Manager, Mr. Bernard Ozinma, explained that the purpose of the mid-term review mission was to assess the implementation progress of the project, evaluate the level of traction achieved and inspect ongoing construction works at the Industrial Platform, Remo free trade Zone.
He added the delegation was equally interested in reviewing the number of investors attracted to the project and the level of infrastructure development.
Meanwhile, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security and also Chairman, Technical Committee, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, welcomed the AfDB delegation and assured the team that implementation would be accelerated to ensure the timely achievement of the project’s objectives.
The special Agro Industrial Processing Zones Programme was an initiative of the Federal Government in collaboration with the State Government, African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), which was designed to create employment, boost productivity for exportable surplus and improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers.
