Governor of Enugu state, Bar. Peter Mbah, has said that if Nigeria should key into Bio-economy and the derivable value chains, it will not only enhance the economic development of the country but will stem the tendency of youths leaving the country for greener pastures abroad.
Mbah said that the Cassava-Bioethanol project initiated by the federal government would give the youth hope and that if the project succeeded, it would create employment opportunities and dissuade the youths from leaving the country.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, dropped this hint on Tuesday in Enugu at a two-day workshop tagged, “regional awareness and sensitisation workshop on strategic implementation of the Cassava-Bio-Ethanol project,” organised by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning for the South East Zone.
He said that the bio-technology would open vistas of opportunities that would improve the economy in no distant future.
“Since we are talking about bio-technology, we are looking at long term of how this will become a brand in terms of productivity for our global economy to enhance competitiveness for our advancing,”he said.
Speaking on the importance of Bio-Ethanol, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, Nebeolisa Anako, said Nigeria is the biggest producer of Cassava and for this reason, ought to harness it and its many value chains apart from food such as ethanol, starch, fine mash, among others.
Anako said that Bio-Ethanol project of the federal government was a pilot project that would commence in the South East before it would go round to other parts of the country.
He said to allow the project succeed, the federal government awarded it as a concession with a supporting take off grant, pointing out that with the pilot project launched in the South East, “it would be replicated in all the zones of the country.”
“This project will be replicated in all the zones in the country but is commencing as a pilot project in the South East.
“It is a wonderful project and if it succeeds, it will put people out of poverty, help develop industry, research methods and capacities,” he said.
The workshop which took place at Tuscana Hotel, Enugu, was attended by university heads, ministries and agencies.
