…says over 2, 000 Nigerians employed in line with local content policy

…as Gov Sule commissions OLAM funded school

…promises to construct major rural road to boost economic activities

By Gabriel Ewepu and Fortune Eromosele

ABUJA-AS Nigeria’s rice consumption increases, an agribusiness giant, OLAM Rice, Tuesday, disclosed of injecting 90,000 metric tonnes of milled rice into domestic markets across Nigeria.

This was made known in an address of welcome by the Vice President, OLAM Rice Business, Anil Nair Snr., during a visit by the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr Abdullahi Sule, to Olam Rice Farm in Rukubi, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Nair Snr further stated that the company’s current production of the commodity stands at 120,000 metric tonnes of rice paddy per annum, but moves to increase the production to 240,000 metric tonnes of rice paddy per annum.

He said: “We are now considering the ongoing expansion works in our milling facilities which is expected to process about 240,000 MT of rice paddy per annum as against the present capacity of 120,000MT making it the largest Rice Mill in Nigeria.

“The ongoing expansion is expected to contribute 90,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to domestic market. The Farm on the other hand, which started as a model rice farm in 2011 transformed to a commercial operation in 2012 with a present size of over 4,400 hectares with a yield of nine metric tonnes per hectare over two annual crop cycles (Wet and Dry season cropping).”

He also made it known that the company produces about 1,080 tonnes of rice paddy daily, which accounts for 3,600 bags per day, but intends to  upscale production to 7,200 bags in July 2022.

Speaking on local content in the company’s operation, he said, “In line with the local content policy, the Company has over 2000 employees on her pay roll, out of which 80% of this population comes from the host State.

“It may also interest you to know Sir that our expatriate engagement has drastically reduced from inception of the project due to our deliberate in-house training arrangement whereby the local Staff are trained and specialized in operating and maintaining of heavy-duty machineries which was exclusively undertaken by expatriate Staff.”

 “In line with the local content policy, the Company has over 2000 employees on her pay roll, out of which 80 per cent of this population comes from the host State.”

However, he (Nair Snr.) called on the Governor of Nasarawa State, as a matter of urgency to attend to the Doma to Akpanaja Road for smooth running of businesses around the community.

“The strongest among the challenges is the road from Doma to Akpanaja which was included in 2021 budget.

“The construction and rehabilitation of this road will have direct impact on the sustainable growth of the company’s business in the State.

“May God give you the grace to start and finish the construction within the shortest possible time”, he added.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, while responding assured OLAM Rice Farm management of constructing and commissioning of Idabu-Abashe Road in the area for seamless business operation and also to boost economic activities along communities along the road.

Sule said: “By the grace of God, we will do the ground breaking of the Idabu-Abashe road this year. We truly believe in the people, we are trying to encourage you, we are trying to support you, we know who you are and we know what you are worth, we want you to understand that we care about you and that’s the reason why we are there as government.

“I came here also to see the roads, and this is a very important road for us, for the people, for the economy, for our investors and for the development of the state. If we must be developed we must pay attention to that.

“That is why I am telling you I will never be able to go to sleep proper until I do the ground breaking of Idabu-Abashe road because I have made that promise over and over”, he stated.

Meanwhile, the Governor commissioned OLAM funded school in Rukubi, and commended its efforts in adding value to the lives of members of host community, while he charged members of the community to be security conscious and ensure they report any suspicion of criminal activities.