A non-governmental organization, NGO, Nigeria Peace Advocacy Group, NPAG, has commended the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, for his programme on agriculture, saying that it is a right step towards food sufficiency for the people, as well as an avenue to boost the state’s internally generated revenue, IGR.
National Convener of the group, Comrade Omolola Olukayode, in a statement in Badagry, Lagos State, gave the commendation on the heels of Sanwo-Olu’s projected investment in the agriculture sector that could fetch the state a whooping $10 billion in five years.
Recall that Governor Sanwo-Olu had made the projection on Thursday, at the launch of the state’s Five-Year Agricultural and Food System Roadmap, where he stated that the investments would be private sector-driven, while the government would act as the catalyst and enabler for the success of the project.
NPAG reasoned that, if the project commences, it would not only guarantee food security, which is a vital ingredient for comfortable livelihood, but would also serve as an avenue for massive job creation for the teeming youth of the state, pointing out that “this also is part of Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to youth development as contained in his manifesto.”
The NGO opined that with the project, it’s clear that Governor Sanwo-Olu has indeed commendably keyed into the national campaign for return to the farm, saying, “The step would further boost the fortunes of the farmer through the project and assist the state to be independent in food production, without depending on other state for food supplies, as the initiative is an avenue to increase the volume of production and move the state further in its quest for food security.”
It added that it could not agree less with the governor that “the investment would lead to wealth generation, value creation, food security, industrialization of the agricultural sector and entrenchment of inclusive socio-economic development of the state,” insisting that with these laid down strategy, the people of Lagos will be the better for it in the next five years.
Reminding that an earlier scheme, located at Imota, is helping the state to attain sufficient rice production and has the capacity to produce 650 50-kilogramme of rice bags per hour and has two lines to produce 16 metric tonnes each, NPAG expressed the delight that “with that, jobs would be available for several idle hands and thus reduce the rate of crime that idle hands can engage in.”
The group therefore urged the people of Lagos, both in public and private sectors to support the governor and cooperate with his administration for the success of all his programmes, asserting that “by doing that, the multiplier effects would make the citizenry happy and comfortable.”
