Lagos, Kebbi Agric Partnership Key To Food Security, Job Creation – Governor Akinwunmi Ambode

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Saturday said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed with Kebbi State on agricultural commodity value chain was in line with the agenda of the Federal Government to diversify the economy, just as he said the pact would go a long way in ensuring food security and job opportunities for the people.

R-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu; Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon Sanni and an Official of Kebbi State Government during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
R-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu; Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon Sanni and an Official of Kebbi State Government during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

Governor Ambode, who spoke at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State during his official visit to the State as part of further steps to cement the agricultural partnership, said he was totally committed to the success of the relationship as it would not only boost the economy of the two states but would increase Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd left); his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (4th left); Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau (2nd left) and Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon Sanni (left) and other Officials of Kebbi State Government during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd left); his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (4th left); Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau (2nd left) and Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon Sanni (left) and other Officials of Kebbi State Government during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

He said the two states, with the agreement, which is the first state-to-state relations in the country, have shown leadership, and expressed optimism that other states would soon take a cue from the relationship.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

The Governor, who was given a heroic reception from Birnin Kebbi International Airport down to the Government House, said the partnership was in continuation of the relationship which had always existed between the two states in term of politics, population and strength.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (right) and Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammed Mera (middle) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (right) and Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammed Mera (middle) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

He said: “This relationship is visionary and it is also a pointer to the fact that the two states have decided to openly support the vision of Mr. President, President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The change mantra which President Buhari has been preaching is what this whole relationship is all about that we must look inward. We must start to reintegrate our economy in such a manner that we must not continue to import what we can produce and we must create a value chain where we have comparative advantage to do so.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu (right) and member of the Kebbi State Executive Council, Abubakar Imam (middle) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu (right) and member of the Kebbi State Executive Council, Abubakar Imam (middle) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

“Kebbi is one of the major producers of most agricultural products in Nigeria, whereas Lagos State is the major consumer of most of these products and we have the market and the population to take on everything that is being produced and that is why the value chain in which we have tried to embellish is very important to the two states. And so we are committed to doing this for Mr. President.

“This visitation is a continuation of where we started from. We want to take the next steps and we know that the next steps are steps in the right direction,” the Governor said.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (right) and Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammed Mera (middle) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (right) and Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammed Mera (middle) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

He added that beyond collaboration on rice production, the Lagos State Government has also decided to create value chain on every other agricultural products from Kebbi State first to the people, which would in turn create jobs for the people and make the economy of Nigeria to become more vibrant thereby increasing the GDP.

On his part, Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu described the MoU as an innovative partnership that would lead the way positively for Nigeria.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

He said years of policy distortion had demoralize local producers of rice and other agricultural products from competing with their foreign counterparts, which had in turn affected the economy of Nigeria negatively, but expressed optimism that the partnership between Lagos and Kebbi States will right the wrongs of the past.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd right), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (2nd right) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd right), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (2nd right) during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

He said: “I am glad that we are on track to address such issues and empower our producers to compete globally. Apart from the fact that the collaboration will bring about significant economic growth and create opportunities, it will also bring our people much closer.

“We are particularly happy that the partnership enjoys massive public support. The President, at different occasions, has publicly commended what we are doing and that is enough motivation for us to push forward with the agreement” Governor Bagudu said.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd left); his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (4th left); Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau (2nd left) and Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon Sanni (left) and other Officials of Kebbi State Government during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3rd left); his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu (4th left); Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Toyin Suarau (2nd left) and Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon Sanni (left) and other Officials of Kebbi State Government during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

The MoU principally centres on boosting the production of rice, wheat, ground nut, maize, millet, sorghum, sugar cane, cows, among others.

There is also arrangement with a Mexican firm, San Carlos Group to expand the Rice Mill at Imota in Lagos from production capacity of 2.5 metric tonnes per hour to 22.5 metric tonnes per hour with the active participation of the private sector.

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Governor Ambode, as part of the official visit, also paid courtesy visits to the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Mohammed Iliya Bashar and the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Meira.

He also inspected the Labana Rice Mill in Kebbi which has the production capacity of 16 metric tonnes per hour and the FADAMA Project Site I Argungu.