NDDC partners with Elephant Group to reactivate two rice mills
- The 2 rice mills built with technical support from Thailand had become rusty after 10 years of lying fallow
- The minister of state for agriculture, Heineken Lokpobori, disclosed that with the reactivation project, the federal government aimed to integrate the Niger Delta region into its food security project
- Pending the signing of a final agreement, the Elephant Group is set to begin a reactivation scheme, starting with the mill in Rivers state
The N1.5 billion rice mills built by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) 10 years ago are set to become operational, thus creating 1,000 jobs via a mass rice production scheme, Business Day reports.
In addition, in a deal brokered by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture between the NDDC and the Elephant group - which will act as an operator- the region is also set to become part of the rice-growers scheme.
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The two rice mills built by the NDDC in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states 10 years ago had remained fallow through successive managements.
As a result, they had become rusty, with various compartments missing.
The mills had been built with technical support from Thailand.
Heineken Lokpobori, the minister of state for agriculture, while speaking at the NDDC conference room in Port Harcourt on Monday, July 17, stated that the federal government aimed to integrate the Niger Delta region into its food security project, hence it orchestrated the reactivation project.
As soon as a final agreement is signed and both mills handed over, the Elephant Group is set to begin the reactivation scheme beginning with the mill in Elele, Rivers state.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the federal government has acquired 110 rice milling machines to be installed in different parts of the country, between now and July, to boost rice production across the country.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, confirmed this development.
The presidential aide had previously stated that Nigeria is the second largest producer of rice in the world.
Watch this Legit.ng TV video about Sunny Ofehe, the new face of Niger Delta development:
Source: Legit.ng
