.Multi-billion naira agro zone, airport to be unveiled in Minna

Pushed by the rising cost of food items that has worsened the nation’s economic woes, a strategic investment and food security strategy is being developed by some states including Niger, Lagos and a few others

The strategy also involves the signing of proper pact in which Lagos and other cosmopolitan states would depend on Niger State for essential food items like rice, among other items.

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, in an interview during the tour of the agro-processing projects, disclosed that all is now set for the flag-off of the Agro Processing Zone in Minna, Niger State, and the commissioning of the Minna Airport by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu tomorrow.

In a remark when the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) bestowed grand patron of the Niger State Council of the union on him, Bago said with the airport 99 percent complete, the state is now positioned to play a major role in the North Central aero hub.

According to him, about 1,000 hectares of land is ready for use. He said there will be drip irrigation for green houses expected to be the biggest in Africa, explaining that special agro-processing zone in the airport will have fresh vegetables, fresh fruits moved to anywhere in Nigeria and abroad.

The governor added: “There is another 1,000 hectares on the other side of the aisle that will
“We are constructing about 140 kilometres of water irrigation to this place from Sororo Dam. This project is an ambitious 50-year programme, but the first phase will be finished in the next few years so that Mr. President can commission it. We are bringing in 80 Megawatts of power to this airport. We are going to attract all of our investments to Niger State. There will be a power holiday for industries who want to set up here.

“We can give them free energy because we are housing four hydropower dams in Niger State and we subsided 60 percent power consumed in Nigeria and we are asking for 13.5 percent derivation from the Federal Government.”

NUJ President, Chris Isiguzo, during the tour with Bago said: “I learnt about this airport several years ago, but at some point, I also learnt that it had gone terribly down, and coming here today to see the massive transformation that is ongoing in this place speaks volumes about the commitment of the present administration in the state.

“If you go around the airport, you can see that it can compete with any other airport in Africa and that shows that the government has invested so much in this airport which is supposed to be a federal airport. But the state through this hardworking governor has taken it upon itself to embark on this massive work.”