By Bashir Bello

KATSINA—The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, yesterday, said the group had taken over the Katsina Songhai Initiative project under a 10-year lease agreement at the cost of N500 million.

Katsina Songhai Initiative, abandoned for six years, is a multi-billion Naira agro-allied processing facility situated in Dutsinma council, initiated by the previous administration.

Speaking during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, and handing over of the facility, Dangote promised to utilise and make the facility bedrock for tomatoes processing in the country.

According to him, “today is one of my happiest day to see that we have finally concluded and signed this agreement so we can really move into action. I can assure you, you will be surprised; we will not only do tomatoes processing, but help Katsina judiciously utilise it vast arable land.

“We will move to site quickly and I know for a fact that Your Excellency (governor) will do whatever it is to get us more land. We want to not only plant, but use out growers to support them and make sure that this tomato project becomes a reality.

“Apart from tomatoes, we will do other things here since you have provided us the enabling environment and we will do our utmost best to make you proud as governor of Katsina State.”

Reacting, Governor Aminu Masari said the facility will not only serve Katsina, but the West African region.

Masari promised to provide the company all the needed support to ensure it succeeds, while noting that Katsina is an inter-investor friendly state.