President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commended Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the State Government revolution in the agriculture sector, especially in rice production.
The President told Governor Sanwo-Olu in a simple sentence “You are doing Well.”
President Buhari spoke during the inauguration of the 32-metric tons per-hour Lagos Rice Mill in Imota, the largest rice mill in Sub-Saharan Africa and the fourth largest in the world.
The President who toured the facility saw the rice pyramid and also watched the last part of the bagging process, which is the sealing, said he was impressed by what he saw at the Lagos Rice Mill, Imota.
President Buhari was taken round the factory and warehouse, where the rice production is being carried out by Governor Sanwo-Olu, Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya; Special Adviser to the Governor on Rice Mill Initiative, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola and some members of the State Executive Council and traditional rulers.
Speaking during the tour of the facility, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Eko Rice, which is proudly Nigeria, is the best in town.
“Mr. President, this is the result of your rice revolution. This rice is called Eko Rice, proudly Nigeria. It is the best in town now,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu while addressing people after the inauguration of the Lagos Rice Mill by President Buhari, said Lagos is ready to support the rice revolution and food revolution in Nigeria.
He said: “The President is really delighted to be here to commission the largest rice mill in the entire sub Saharan Africa and one of the largest in the world, the Lagos Rice Mill in Imota.
“It is being done because of the agricultural revolution of Mr. President, who when he started his government, said Nigerians should grow what they eat and they should eat what they grow.
“We are happy that Lagos is a testament of that. With 2.8 million bags of 50kg rice per annum, Lagos is ready to support the rice revolution and the food revolution in Nigeria.
“The Lagos Rice Mill will create close to 250,000 direct and indirect jobs. We want to thank the local community of Imota, Ikorodu. We want to thank all of you that have waited patiently. Mr President is indeed excited that you have birthed another first in Nigeria and in sub Saharan Africa.”
President Buhari is expected to officially commission the $1.5 billion Lekki Deep Seaport, and the Blue Rail Project, among others, today (Monday) in Lagos.
By its size and depth, the Lekki Deep Seaport is expected to be the game changer in West and Central Africa.
Other projects slated for commissioning are the 18.75km six-lane rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway; the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History; and the MRS Lubricant Factory in Apapa
Buhari, during his two-day working visit, will be conducted around the port’s 1.5km long main.
The seaport’s turning circle is 600 meters, which is enough for a vessel of up to 16,000 standard containers (TEU). The approach channel is 11 km long.
The chairman of Lekki Port, Mr Biodun Dabiri, had earlier said: “From what I can see, in the next four to five years, the economy of the Lekki environs would be worth $25 billion which translates to N10 trillion – an investment amount almost similar to the whole budget of Nigeria.
“I can tell you that if we focus on this axis alone, the ranking of Lagos as one of the largest economies in Africa would be better; we could move from the 4th to 3rd, 2nd and eventually Number 1.”
The Lekki Deep Seaport made history last year as it received the first-ever vessel (Zhen Hua 28) to berth at the port.
The port has three terminals: the container terminal, the liquid terminal, and the dry bulk terminal.
According to the promoters, the container terminal has an initial draft of 14 metres, with the potential for further dredging to 16.5 metres. The terminal is able to handle 2.5 million 20-foot standard containers per year.
The deep-sea port of Lekki is the first port in Nigeria with ship-to-shore cranes. It has three of these container gantry cranes; they belong to the “Super-post-Panamax” group – this means that they can reach and unload the rearmost row of containers even if the container ship is wider than the Panama Canal (49m or 160ft maximum boat beam).
The STS cranes have a fixed rail at the quayside. They can lift 65 tons in twin-lift mode, 50 tons in single-lift mode or 85 tons under a hook.
The port’s computerised system will allow container identification and clearance from the office, and human interaction will be minimal in the physical operations
When phase 2 is completed, the deep sea port will have three liquid berths. The liquid cargo terminal will handle vessels up to 45,000 DWT (dead weight tonnage) and can expand to reach a capacity of 160,000 DWT.
Liquids (like petrol or diesel) will be handled at a tank farm near the port. The docking area is equipped with loading arms. It is also connected by pipelines along the breakwater.
The bulk terminal with an available quay length of 300m can accommodate a Panamax class vessel (75,000 DWT).
