• Unveils Okun Rice Mills In Abeokuta
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has advised governments in Africa to do more on sustaining policies, lamenting that policy somersaults have been the major hindrances to achieving food security on the continent.
 
Obasanjo stated that the hunger crisis in the country and on the continent would have been less if the developmental and food production efforts of the past were sustained.
 
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, said the former president gave the advice at the unveiling of Okun Rice Mills at Asero, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
 
His words: “Part of our problem in Nigeria and Africa as a whole is lack of continuity and this is very bad for every development at family level, state level, national level and continental.
 
“What I found so ridiculous is that because there has been no continuity in so many things we are doing, you will hear people saying ‘for the first time ever’ as if Nigeria is just beginning today whereas the problem is lack of continuity.
 
“So, I am saying that for us to achieve increased food production and achieve food sufficiency at the state, national and continental level, the government must be ready to provide an enabling environment and ensure continuity of assisted agric policies to enhance food production.”
 
Obasanjo applauded the Chief Executive Officer of Hyst Global Business Limited, Dr. Biodun Onalaja, for his courage and perseverance; commending him for bracing all odds to invest in local production of rice and boosting food sufficiency in the country.
 
“When you go back you will find out that some people have done that which they are talking about in the past and if we had continued our situation wouldn’t have been bad as it is, particularly in the area of food production.
 
“I have always said that government has no business in production; the primary duty of the government is to provide the enabling environment for agricultural production and other business enterprises to thrive so as to achieve food security,” he noted.
 
Speaking earlier, Onalaja praised Obasanjo’s visionary leadership, particularly in the area of boosting food production in the country, saying that his guidance and support over the years has been a major source of encouragement.
 
On his Okun Rice Mill project, the CEO noted that the mill has the capacity to produce 100 metric tonnes of high quality rice daily in various packing options from one kilogramme to 50kg.
 
He explained that the enterprise is aimed at creating employment opportunities and achieving sustainable food production in the country.
 
Onalaja said that the Okun Rice will be available for purchase from the middle of next month, urging rice farmers to bring their paddy rice for processing.
  
He commended Governor Dapo Abiodun and other government functionaries for his support and cooperation to ensure the success of the partnership with the state government.
 
Also speaking at the event, the Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, said that the Okun Rice venture is another success story of the Public Private Partnership of the present administration in the state.
 
Owotomo, represented by the Director of Research, Planning and Statistics in the ministry, Alhaji Suraj Ishola, said the state government would continue to create an enabling environment and support farmers and other investors in agricultural enterprise to thrive.