Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade has said that he will convert all residents in the state to Rice farmers.
He said this on Sunday during the test run of the state 10-ton per hour ultra-modern rice mill located in Ogoja Local Government Area.
According to Governor Ayade, the facility has a storage capacity of 6,500 tons and with continuous production, a storage capacity of 240 tons per day, at 24 hours operation would be reached.
He said the project will make a lot of millionaires and poverty will come to an end.
“The mill is the first of its kind in Africa and I am particularly proud that we have this outstanding world-class vitaminised rice mill in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State.
“I look forward to converting the entire people of the state into rice farmers. This is because the storage capacity alone is about 6,500 tons and on continuous production, we have a storage capacity of 240 tons per day, at 24 hours operation.
“So if we have 240 tons per day, it, therefore, means that even if we are to convert the whole land in Cross River State for rice farming, this factory has the capacity to take all.
“The issue of poverty will come to an end. But you need an aggregate vote that will be made available to farmers to be able to buy, carry and deliver to this factory.
The governor also revealed that he would introduce the anchor borrowers programme where key stakeholders will be given funds by the state government and perhaps the federal government to assist them to do large-scale industrial farming.
Ayade thanked the contractors working on the factory and commended their diligent commitment to the project.
