By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu is set to inaugurate an agro-processing zone and the remodelled Minna International Airport in Niger State on Monday.
The Governor of the state, Mr Mohammed Umaru-Bago, said while inspecting the projects on Saturday that about 2,000 hectares would be utilised for the agro-processing zone project, adding that about 1,000 hectares would be utilised for drip irrigation and greenhouses while an additional 1,000 hectares was specifically for the processing of dairy products.
He added that the remodelling of the International Airport in Minna had reached 99 per cent completion.
“Niger State sells an average of half a million cattle to Nigerians and people outside Nigeria daily.
“We don’t need to transport these cattle by road at all, you can take the meat that is frozen from the airport to anywhere and it will create employment and enhance the value chain,” the governor added.
On the agro-zone, he said water would be piped from Shiroro dam for use by farmers at the site.
“We are constructing about 140 kilometres of water irrigation channels to this place from Shiroro dam,” he said.
The governor said the projects would be executed in partnership with some foreign companies.
“This project is an ambitious 50-year programme, but the first phase will be finished in the next few years so that Mr President can commission it.
“We are bringing in 80 megawatts of power to this airport,” he added.
He said the government would offer tax holidays for companies willing to move to the state.
“Niger State has strategically positioned itself now to become Nigeria’s water reservoir so that the overflow from all these dams and rivers can now be stored for irrigation and we plug them during crises,” he added.
Modupe Gbadeyanka