By Muhammad Hamisu
Amid rising food prices and growing concerns over food security in the country, Dangote Cement Plc’s Ibese Plant has commissioned and handed over a multi-million-naira, state-of-the-art garri and fufu processing plant to the Kajola host community in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State.
The company described the project as a strategic intervention aimed at boosting agricultural value addition, reducing post-harvest losses, and strengthening the livelihoods of rural farmers and women.
Speaking at the event, the Ibese Plant Director, Mr. Ayyagari Subbaraidu, said the facility was delivered under the company’s Community Development Agreement (CDA) with its host communities, signed in 2022.
He said the initiative was designed to support cassava farmers and processors by improving efficiency and expanding income-generating opportunities.
“This project is aimed at improving cassava processing, reducing losses, and creating sustainable employment for women and farmers in the community,” he said.
Mr. Subbaraidu disclosed that the facility features separate garri and fufu processing units equipped with modern machinery, including a five-tonne-per-day peeling machine, hydraulic presses, frying systems, fermentation basins, solar-powered boreholes, and sanitation infrastructure.
He added that the plant is expected to serve as a catalyst for local economic growth by enhancing productivity and supporting small-scale agribusinesses across Kajola and neighbouring communities.
The Plant Director also urged the community and the Project Governance Committee to ensure transparency in the management of the facility to guarantee its long-term sustainability.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Bolu Owotomo, who commissioned the facility, commended Dangote Cement for its commitment to the socio-economic development of its 17 host communities.
Mr. Owotomo described the facility as a strategic intervention in agricultural value addition and rural empowerment.
He said the project would significantly boost the state’s agricultural development agenda and rural industrialisation drive.
According to him, the initiative aligns with Governor Dapo Abiodun’s vision of making agriculture a key driver of economic growth through value addition and enterprise development.
Mr. Owotomo disclosed that: “Over 166,000 farmers, including more than 90,000 cassava farmers, have been registered under the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS) to benefit from government interventions.”
He urged the community to safeguard the facility and assured residents of the continued support of the state government for agricultural development and food security.
He highlighted ongoing interventions by the state government, including the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), and FADAMA-OG CARES, which have supported thousands of cassava farmers through training, mechanisation, and improved access to inputs.
“This processing plant will strengthen the cassava value chain, improve product quality, create jobs, enhance food security, and boost farmers’ incomes,” the commissioner said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Local Government Council, Hon. Sikiru Adesina Adisa, represented by his Vice Chairman, Hon. Abisola Aliyu, described the facility as a transformative project that would ease the burden of traditional cassava processing and improve productivity.
He also commended Dangote Cement for its continued commitment to inclusive growth and impactful corporate social responsibility in its host communities.
“This project will stimulate local enterprise, create employment opportunities, and support government efforts to reduce poverty and improve food security at the grassroots,” he said.
The traditional ruler of the community, Oba Kayode Kusoro, the Olu of Aga Olowo, in whose domain the project is located, commended Dangote Cement for fulfilling its corporate social responsibility obligations under the CDA signed with the host communities.
The monarch appealed to residents to protect the facility from vandalism and theft while urging the company to sustain its support for the community.
He praised the collaboration between the private sector, government, and local residents, expressing confidence that the plant would become a major hub for cassava processing and wealth creation in the area.
Speaking on behalf of the women beneficiaries engaged in cassava processing in Kajola, Mrs. Abosede Onifade expressed delight over the facility, noting that it would significantly ease production and enable large-scale output.
“With this plant, we can now produce in larger quantities with less stress. We are grateful to Dangote Cement for improving our livelihoods,” she said.
The modern facility is expected to provide a ready market for cassava farmers, improve processing efficiency, and contribute to the long-term socio-economic development of Ewekoro and neighbouring communities.