New Agropreneurs ‘ll Emerge Soon- President Buhari
…As Dangote Fertilizer Plant To Employ Thousands of Youths
OLABISI OLALEYE
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday said the rise of a new breed of agropreneurs who would add value to farming and make the nation self-sufficient in food production is imminent.
He said this during the commissioning of Dangote fertilizer plant in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State.
The plant, the second-largest world, has an installed capacity of 3.0 million metric tonnes of urea per annum.
The number one Nigerian citizen also declared that Nigeria’s dependence on imported products in the agriculture sector would soon be past.
Adding that the plant would further advance Nigeria’s drive towards achieving efficiency in food production, create jobs, increase the inflow of foreign exchange and accelerate economic growth.
Buhari expressed confidence that the investment in this plant would replicate the Group’s earlier exploits in the cement sector, where Dangote cement holds the enviable record of the continent’s largest cement producer, with footprints in ten other African countries.
‘‘This new plant is a renewed testament to the widely acknowledged patriotism of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the leadership of Dangote Industries Limited. It also demonstrates their commitment to the socio-economic development of our country and the well-being of our people.
‘‘The Group’s investment in integrated cement plants, spanning the value chain from quarry to ‘bagging, has effectively ended Nigeria’s dependence on imported cement products.
‘‘Along with the several other subsidiaries, Dangote Industries Limited has created thousands of jobs across Nigeria. It is the second biggest employer of labour in this country, after the Federal Government. This is very pleasing because job creation by private sector operators is vital to security as it takes thousands of youths off the street,’’ he said.
On other benefits of the plant, the President expressed delight that the commencement of exports to other countries including the United States, India, and Brazil, Nigeria is already gaining extensively in earnings of foreign exchange from the excess production and export from the plant.
He noted that coming on stream of the plant had created substantial foreign exchange earnings of job creation, trade, warehousing, transport, and logistics, which would, in turn, create significant wealth, reduce considerably, and help secure the future of the nation.
‘‘In the agricultural sector, another focal point of our economic policy, we expect a boom as fertilizer is now readily available in greater quantities and better quality.
‘‘Many Nigerians who practiced subsistence farming because of nonavailability of necessary inputs more significant take up agriculture as a business”.
President Buhari used the occasion to reassure Nigerians that his government is focused on providing an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive, pledging continuity in improving infrastructure, power and security as well as enacting relevant laws and regulations to drive investments in the economy.
‘‘We are partnering with the private sector, through a tax credit scheme, in the rehabilitation of roads across Nigeria under Presidential Order No. 7.
‘‘As we know, good roads contribute to easy movement of goods and services across the nation, thus reducing the cost of doing business and improving productivity.
‘‘We are also rehabilitating our railway lines and building new ones to lessen the burden on our roads and create more effective multi-modal transportation networks.
‘‘Projects of this magnitude and complexity require the support and collaboration of many persons and organisations. I am grateful to all of them.
‘‘In particular, I would like to commend the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Development Finance Institutions and the Local and Foreign Commercial Banks that have supported the investor to make these projects organizations the President declared.
The Chief Executive of Dangote Industries expressed immense gratitude to President Buhari, for his sustained support and encouragement, and for honoring the invitation to come, in person, and inaugurate the plant.
He also commended the leaders of the host communities and their people for providing a peaceful and conducive environment for the project recognizing the many years of teamwork, labour, toil and sweat of the Management and Staff of Dangote Group for their commitment to high performance, perseverance and resilience.
The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, recounted the role played by the former governor of the State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the establishment of the fertiliser plant and the refinery.
”The idea of having a free zone in the Ibeju Lekki was conceived by our leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
”I was with him in 2003, when we took a trip to China and we were trying to conceive a free zone and this is fertilizer.
”The free zone is not only home to the largest fertilizer plant in Africa but will certainly be home to the largest refinery,” Sanwo-Olu said.