Di Lagos State Goment, on Wednesday, don unveil di ₦500 billion Produce-for-Lagos Off-taker Guarantee Fund wey dem design to boost food production and supply, reduce import, and improve agricultural productivity for di country.
Dem do di unveiling and sign Memorandum of Understanding with di states wey dey partner for di Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.
Governors wey show face for di event na Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Umaru Bago (Niger), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), and di Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Olajide Owolabi.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, send person wey represent am.
Others wey show face na Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa; Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister of di Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of State for Finance, Doris Aniete; and Minister of Livestock, Idi Maiha.
Sanwo-Olu still unveil about 150 40-foot trucks wey go help make food movement easy enter and comot for di state.
He talk say di initiative na part of President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda to help achieve food security for di country.
Governor Sanwo-Olu talk say di programme go run through di Lagos Food Systems Infrastructure Company, and dem go get support from key Special Purpose Vehicles like Lagos Bulk Trading Company, Ekolog, and di Produce for Lagos Fund.
“Lagos na Nigeria food market, and we dey chop over 50 per cent of di food wey dem dey trade for southwest part of di country.
“We get food economy wey worth over ₦6 trillion. E still dey noted say Lagos dey lose 50 per cent of im food mainly because of poor storage and bad transportation.
“E clear say we gatz arrange our food systems well to fit feed our people better.
“Di ‘Produce for Lagos’ programme go help create logistics support, and e go connect direct to Lagos dynamic food economy.
“Na why we dey launch Ecolog logistics trucks through di Lagos State Food Systems Infrastructure Company,” na wetin Sanwo-Olu talk.
Di governor still add say di trucks, when dem start to work, go help build new agricultural ecosystem.
Governor Sanwo-Olu talk say, “We go launch about 150 40-foot trucks wey go serve as first step or test run to make food movement smooth.
“Di trucks na all CNG-powered and dem fit travel go every part of di country with full tank and return to Lagos without need to buy fuel for any petrol station.
“Dis trucks na di first of their kind, and na big initiative for us as a country and as a state.
“So, for us, di ₦50 billion na just small beginning, and as you dey see, some of our friends for private sector don dey show interest.
“Wet we dey do here na to create whole new agricultural ecosystem, one wey go rise from wetin people need today and tomorrow, to join our focused policy, create financial model wey go last pass us.
“And build infrastructure wey go still dey useful for generations wey dey come behind us, and make sure say we get strong database wey everybody fit use,” na wetin Sanwo-Olu talk.
During fundraising, di Chairman of United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu, announce say dem go support di initiative with ₦25 billion.
He talk say, “Di programme go help tackle unemployment for di state as more youths fit get work join di initiative. UBA go support dis initiative with ₦25 billion.”
Governor Bago come pledge say Niger State go support Lagos with 500,000 hectares of land.
He talk say, “When I see ‘Produce for Lagos,’ I talk say no, I dey farm for Lagos. And I don allocate 500,000 hectares for Lagos only, and we go produce only Lagos food.”
Minister Bosun Tijani hail di Lagos State Goment for di initiative, call am one of di most visionary food plans.
He talk say, “E dey give farmers and food producers better value for wetin dem produce. As Lagos dey absorb farm produce, di goment dey set di state for growth. Na so we go build strong city and rebuild our future.”
Di five governors wey attend di event also call di programme “ambitious and correct” for dia separate speeches.
Dem talk say dem ready to partner with Lagos to use dia own advantage boost food security for di country.
Gen Musa praise di Lagos State Goment and call di initiative visionary, say e go help connect food security with national stability.
For statement wey Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, release on Wednesday for Abuja, di Chief of Defence Staff talk say he dey happy with di bold partnership between Lagos State, private sector, and di Lagos Food Systems Infrastructure Company.
He talk say di initiative come at better time when Nigeria need strong and lasting strategies to improve food systems and economic security.
Musa still talk say di initiative align well with di Lagos State Agriculture and Food System Roadmap of 2021, and he praise di state for using data to strengthen agricultural value chains.
