By Oyibo Salihu
Chairman of Ajaokuta local government area in Kogi state, Aloysius Okino, has said that the move to make agriculture the main stay of his people was to add value to their efforts.
Okino, who stated this yesterday while presenting cash compensation to some farmers who were displaced in Adogo, to give room for the cassava farm and ethanol plant, said in future agriculture, would become a money spinning business in the area.
He said over N2.3 million was paid as compensation to displaced farmers, while other infrastructure and land clearing were also undertaken by the council to ensure a smooth take-off of the multi-million naira project.
He commended the governor, Captain Idris Wada, for siting the ethanol company in the area for the utilisation of the cassava that would be harvested from the 10, 000 hectares of land.
He said in addition to the employment opportunities that the cassava farm and the ethanol company would create, business activities would equally pick up in the area.
“The move will not only generate employment for the indigenes of the area, but business activities will be boosted in the entire Ajaokuta local government area,’ he said.
The chairman called on the people to be law abiding and shun all negative activities that could cripple development in the area.