Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State has directed the state’s Ministry of Agriculture to continue the sale of its Lake Rice as part of the efforts to ensuring food security and effective distribution of grains across the metropolis.
In a chat with journalists on Monday, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau, explained that the state government has created more designated centres in addition to those already established in the 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the state.
Speaking at the state Secretariat in Alausa, Mr Suarau listed the sales centres as Farm Service Centre Odogunyan, Ikorodu; Farmers Mart, Surulere; Agric Input Supply Authority (LAISA), Ojo; Agricultural Development Authority (ADA), Oko Oba, Agege and Lagos Television (LTV), Ikeja.
He assured that the state government was working to ensure the continuous availability of the rice in all the designated outlets while working assiduously to maintain adequate supply all over the state.
Mr Suarau stressed further that the price of the rice has not changed because the present administration intends to make the product affordable to all, adding that the purchase process has also been made less cumbersome for everyone.
Similarly, the Lagos State Government has launched its first bread product, Eko Coconut Bread, produced by the Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA).
Speaking, at the launch of the new bread recently, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr Ganiyu Sanni Okanlawon, said the Coconut Bread being launched by government was a demonstration of the present administration’s commitment to promoting a coconut value chain in the State.
He added that the development is a step in the right direction in realizing the full potentials derivable from coconut and making the state a self-dependent and reliant in food production.
Mr Okanlawon stated further that coconut has a lot of benefits as it has been scientifically proven to have a lot of medicinal values when consumed on regular basis.
According to him, “There are enormous benefits from coconut as many products such as coconut oil, coconut cream, soap, gurudi, coconut water, hair cream, coconut body cream, coconut candy and many others are produced from coconut. It can also be used for quick healing of wounds, cough, and to prevent cancer.”
He added that the inclusion of coconut into bread will go a long way in ensuring the consumption of coconut by majority of the populace as the consumption and use of coconut products is limited among Lagosians which makes its medicinal values of less exploited.
