Work to resume on Igbogbo, Agric-Isawo roads, says Sanwo-Olu
...Says first line of Imota rice mill to be ready by end of year
Ayodele Olalere
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to resume construction work on Igbogbo and Agric-Isawo Roads in the Ikorodu division of the state when the rains subside.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance, on Thursday, after an inspection tour of the Imota Light Industrial Park, housing the biggest Rice Mill in the country.
The governor, who was accompanied by his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, and other top government officials, noted that the Rice Mill project with a production capacity of 32 metric-tonnes per hour, will be ready before the end of the year.
According to him, the project when completed, will open up the Community and its environs, create employment opportunities, cut across the South-West, while the Light Industrial Park will accommodate and encourage Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).
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The Contractor in charge of the project, Josiah Samuel, identified weather situation as one of the challenges, but was optimistic that work on the project would progress further as soon as possible.
The rice mill, upon completion, is expected to produce 2.8 Million bags of 50kg rice per annum with other components such as 16 silos, truck parks, among others. It is expected to create about 1,000 to 1,500 jobs directly.
“Due to the importance of this project, we intend to resume work on the two major roads connecting this mill. We are aware of the two major critical roads in the Ikorodu axis, the Igbogbo and Isawo/Agric roads, when there is a break in the rainfall, the contractors will fully get back to site. We need to be tactical to avoid waste.”
“We know how critical these roads are to you. I know how the roads were and also know how it is now. Please exercise patience. When the rain subsides, contractors will be fully mobilised to site and you will begin to see major improvement in Ikorodu,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He stressed that the rice mill project should have begun to take proper shape by the end of the year.
“We are hoping that before the end of the year, we will probably see the first line fully completed before the end of the year. It is a project that depicts our continuity in governance and that is why we have taken the pains to come here and know the scope of work. On completion, it will be a 32 metric tonnes production capacity per hour rice mill,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that the rice mill would probably meet about 15 to 20 percent of the national needs when it starts production.
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“We have started conversations with neighbouring states under the Development Agenda for Western Western Nigeria, DAWN, Commission, that is – Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, and then we can begin the growing of paddy rice.
“We are studying the entire value chain and speaking to other stakeholders to ensure that this project on completion, can begin to galvanise the objective of President Muhammadu Buhari on looking inwards to feed ourselves,” he added.
He also commended the host community for being at peace with the contractors handling the project. He appealed to people in the area to exercise patience as the State Government would not neglect any part of the state.
