Ogun seeks partnership with Germany on food production

L-R: Dr. Imke Borner; wife of the German Consul General;  Prince Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State Governor and Mr. Weert Borner,  Consul General, when during a courtesy call on the governor, in Abeokuta on Thursday.

Prince Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State Governor, is seeking to establish a partnership with Germany in the area of food production.

Abiodun said such partnership will contribute to the food security agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

The governor stated this when he received Weert Borner, Consul General, German Embassy, in his office yesterday.

"Our new policy is to partner anyone who wants to come and farm in Ogun State by providing accessible lands,’’ he said. ‘’We are looking for partners in the area of merchandised farming that will help us in achieving our plan.’’

Abiodun, while commending the German Government over the capacity building programme of GIZ in the state, said the state is the number one in non-oil revenue generation in the country due to availability of abundant mineral resources, particularly limestone in the state.

He also noted that his administration has removed all forms of bottlenecks that had hitherto impeded investors’ presence in the state. This, he said, led to the creation of Business Environment Council in the state.

"We have increased our efficiency to remove unnecessary bottlenecks that hitherto had impeded people to come and set up companies in the state,’’ he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Borner noted that the German government is looking at increasing its ties with the state in the agricultural sector and energy transition.

"The two major areas we want to focus in increasing cooperation between Ogun State and Germany is the agricultural sector to ensure better production, better methods of agriculture, plus making agriculture more sustainable and environment friendly and to support Ogun State in food security for all of Nigeria,’’ he said. "The second area is the energy transition to improve the build-up of renewable energy and the grid development in Nigeria."

He commended the road network from Lagos State to the state capital, describing it as remarkable.