Cassava processing factory

UGHELLI—AS part of effort to diversify the economy of the Isoko South local government council, Delta State, a cassava processing factory worth at least N170 million was on Tuesday flagged off at Uzere in the local government area.

Flagging off the cassava processing factory, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state, Mr. Peter Nwaoboshi said the project was part of effort to create job opportunity and wealth for the people of the area, adding that the project, when it eventually takes off, would also help to fight against food insecurity in the state.

While urging Deltans to continue to support the PDP- led government both at the state and local government level as away of reciprocating the good programmes of government, he said the party was prepared to fulfill its campaign promises to the electorates. He commended the Isoko South local government council chairman, Chief Askia Ogieh for embarking on the project, adding that as a third tier of government, local government councils across the country should thrive to embark on projects that would positively transform the socio-economic lives of the people of their area.

Earlier in his address, chairman of the local government council, Chief Askia Ogieh said the decision to embark on the project was born out of the need to diversify from crude oil as the economic mainstay of the country and stressed that the concept of the factory was in line with the three-point agenda of the state government.

Ogieh said when put to full capacity use, the factory would alleviate the sufferings of cassava farmers and create employment for the rural dwellers, pointing out that the factory would help also to redirect the energy of the youths in the area to more productive ventures and said the raw materials of the factory would be sourced from the local farmers.

He said: “This factory will be able to harness the cassava tubers production from various communities within the local government area through an expanded capacity building vis-a –vis mopping the glut to enhance production of diverse cassava products which hitherto was restricted to garri and local starch production into the production of industrial starch and related items.

“The production capacity of the factory will be sustained by regular supply of high breed cassava stems and also from the local government cassava demonstration farm”. While saying that the demonstration farm was a pet project of his administration, he said 1,200 bundles of improved cassava stem and farm implements have already been distributed to 600 local farmers in the council area.

Also speaking, the consultant, Engr Adolphus Ojobo said the factory upon completion, would process 25,000 tons of cassava per day and said over 60 persons would be needed to work in the factory as staff. According to him, the factory has a multiplier effect on the area.