The Delta State Government on Thursday said it was developing a one-stop-shop Agro-Industrial Park to diversify the state’s economy beyond oil.
Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this while addressing journalists after an inspection visit to the Agro-Industrial Park at Aboh-Ogwashi in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.
He stated that the project was one of the serious efforts of government geared towards diversification of the state’s economy.
Chairman of the Implementation Committee Professor Eric Eboh, said the project inspection was designed to assess the state of work in relation to overall work plan of the project.
“As you are already aware the Agro-Industrial Park is one of the major flagship of the Okowa administration.
“The project went through international validation by three banks as viable and self-sustaining and by the time the project kicks off, the agricultural value chain will never be the same again in Delta”, Eboh said.
Project Consultant, Arch Kester Ifeadi, in a technical brief, said the idea for the project started three years ago.
He said the land comprises of 220 hectares with 100 hectares of rice farm as the anchor project and assured that there would be constant electricity and water supply in the park.
“The central portion is the engine room for commercial plots of 1.5 hectares of land for agro industrial investments.
“The Park Centre which is the life blood and the epicentre of the Agro-Industrial Park, will have the rice plant, warehouses, residential, hospitality, conferences, trainings, seminars, research and quality control laboratory.
“There is a lake of 1.4cubic meters of water to sustain the project all year round including the dam and potentials for generating electricity to jump start the project.
“To ensure the sustainability of the project, it will be private sector driven by the Delta State Agro-Industrial Park Limited with Delta having 40 percent, MRG 30 percent and Norsworthy Investments 30 percent,” he stated.
