Food Security: WACOT announces major investment in Kebbi State
By Abdullahi Alhassan
The West African Cotton Company (WACOT) says it has unveiled new investments in Kebbi State, and the company has been praised for its contributions to the state’s and Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
During a visit to the company by His Excellency the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and the Managing Director of First Bank Nigerian Plc, Dr. Adeshola Adedotun, the company’s Chairman, Alhaji Farouk Gumel, revealed this in Argungu.
The second phase of the mega Rice mill at Argungu, where the first phase of the large-scale Rice mill was established five years ago, is one of the new investments. WACOT is also investing multi-million dollars in the second phase of the Rice mill in Kebbi State.
According to the Chairman, the company will continue to invest and expand because it believes in the state and federal governments’ strong economic policies. Furthermore, he stated that First Bank has provided funding for the second phase of the Rice mill, which is beneficial to the state and the country as a whole. He went on to say that the bank’s delegation was coming to see for themselves the fruits of the company’s labor. “They’ve come to recognize the strategic importance agriculture has received,” he explained.
Since its inception, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu’s administration has provided the firm with tremendous support, according to the Chairman.
Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat Production in Nigeria and the Vice Chairman of the National Food Security Council, expressed his delight that Nigeria had become a global investment hub and destination of choice. It is worth noting that the product of the Federal Government’s plausible and beautiful policies, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, has been handsomely yielding fruits. He said,” the key to national emancipation is in more production and this is part of the laudable federal government policies aim to achieve.”
Bagudu also stated that neighboring African countries such as Benin and Niger Republics were now paying attention to Nigeria’s Rice Revolution. “History will remember the WACOT Rice Mill’s enormous contributions to Kebbi and Nigeria, particularly in the execution of Corporate Social Responsibility projects. The governor inspected the structure with the help of officials from WACOT and First Bank Nigeria Limited.