The Ogun State government has commenced the cultivation of cotton on 4,500 hectares to increase cotton production and help revive the Nigerian textile industry.
The Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Kunle Somorin, made this known in a statement to Financial Street on Tuesday.
He noted, “With the new moves by the state government, no fewer than 14,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created in the cotton production sector.”
According to Somorin, the state is in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria and Prime Anchor to achieve this.
While CBN is expected to provide the needed funds to growers, Prime Anchor will link cotton producers to the industrial processes, especially the Joint Cotton Growers Association of Nigeria and Gateway Cotton processing Limited, he said.
“The farmland located in Aworo-Pedepo in Yewa North Local Government Area of the state, was a follow up to the 10,000 hectares earlier provided to the Cotton Growers Association in the state, the CPS explained.
Somorin hinted that 18 new tractors have been made available and deployed by Anchor to facilitate the project.
“Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP) will also provide free extension services for the beneficiaries to ensure high productivity.
“The 14,500 hectare farmland being cultivated for cotton production is to link farmers and youths who registered on the Ogun State job portal for job opportunities in the cotton value chain,” he explained.
Somorin added that the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, had led representative of the National Cotton Association Nigeria, who doubles as the Regional Manager of Arewa Cotton, Adebayo Olayemi; the Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Dotun Sorunke; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture, Tolu Bankole; Sunday Adegoke of the Department of Tree Crops and others officials in the ministry to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the 4,500 hectares of land.
