Gov. Wamakko inaugurates N30m rice mill in Sokoto

Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State on Friday inaugurated a N30 million rice mill established by an investor, Alhaji Nura Attajiri.

The combined capacity of the mill is 1,250 kilograms per hour while operating for eight hours daily and six days a week.

Wamakko, who was represented at the inauguration by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Arzika Tureta, commended Attajiri for the initiative.

” The firm was set up with two loans of N20 million and N10 million advanced to him by the state government out of the nearly N3 billion loan disbursed to farmers and agro-investors in the state,” Wamakko said.

The governor also said that his administration gave priority to provision of subsidised fertliser, agricultural inputs, tractors, pesticides as well as extension services.

Wamakko expressed happiness that such efforts were yielding results with more people in the state producing more food for subsistence and sales.

The state Commissioner for Commerce, Alhaji Aliyu Achida, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, commended Wamakko for implementing several policies and programmes aimed at boosting food security.

The Managing Director of the mill, Alhaji Nura Attajiri, lamented the massive importation of rice while the country has vast fertile land capable of producing all types of crops, including rice.

” There is no need for Nigeria to import food, especially rice, and as such, more should be done to encourage Nigerians to produce more food.

” I must also commend the state government for its sustained support to the company and we will not fail them and the people of the state,” he added.

Attajiri, on his part, called for patronage of the products of the mill, provision of a plot for it in one of the Industrial estates in the state and the provision of a dedicated transformer.

(NAN)