Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has unveiled plans by the state government to establish ranching facilities to handle meat processing in the state.
The governor gave the hint on Monday when he hosted the Head of International Projects of SEMMARIS, Mr. Timothee Witkowski, and the Regional Agriculture Counsellor of the French Embassy, Sonia Darraco, along with her team during a courtesy visit to his office in Abeokuta.
According to the governor, the establishment of the ranch facilities will enable the government to rear, fatten, slaughter, and process meat in the most hygienic way suitable for human consumption.
He said: “We have an immediate plan to set up ranching facilities here in Ogun State where we will rear cattle, fatten them, slaughter, and process them properly. We are also going to do piggery as well. Already, we have a lot of poultry, but we will get them organized.”
The governor explained that although about 9,000 to 10,000 cattle were being slaughtered daily at Kara Cattle Market to cater for Lagos markets, the slaughtering are done haphazardly and not in a hygienic manner good enough for human consumption.
Abiodun, who commended the SEMMARIS team for the organisation’s positive impact on agriculture, food distribution, and logistics, lauded the management for the Rungis Farmers’ Market for making food available to the people of France at affordable prices.
He said the arrival of the company in the state would be a game changer, as it would create opportunities for the state and the southwest region as a whole.
According to the governor, the state boasts of good road networks that extend to all parts of the country, just as it is blessed with huge limestone deposits and arable land suitable for the cultivation of cocoa, palm oil, and cotton.
Abiodun explained that the meeting was a follow-up to an earlier parley he had in France, describing Franco-Nigeria bilateral relations as cordial, adding that President Bola Tinubu is interested in the outcome of the meeting.
While assuring that his administration will support and provide all the incentives needed by the company to start operations in the state, the governor said that the company’s investment in the state would assist farmers in the area of extension services and off-taking of their produce.
In his remarks, Witkowski said his mission in the state was to SEMMARIS a strategic partner to the state government to modernize agricultural projects as well as provide technical services in the state.
He said: “Starting with Ogun State is a good idea because of the potential and the strategic location of the state. There is a lot of land available, and the state government has a strong vision for the region-”
The company’s Head of International Projects said the project, when operational, would provide job opportunities, ensure food security, and improve the agricultural value chain.
Similarly, the Regional Agriculture Counsellor of the French Embassy, Sonia Darraco, said that the company would carry out a feasibility study to identify potential business opportunities for investment, assuring that the French government is ready to support it in its mission.
Photo Caption
L-R: The Senior Trade Advisor, Trade Office of the French Embassy, Valor Iduh: Regional Agriculture Counsellor, Sonia Daraco; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Project Manager, Semmaris, Timothee Witkwoski, during a visit on Monday to the governor in his Office, Oke-Mosan Abeokuta
