Bauchi awards N126m contracts for oil milling machines
The Bauchi State government has awarded a N126 million contract for
the supply and installation of 20 groundnut oil extracting machines
in its effort to boost groundnut oil production.
The Commissioner for Rural Development, Alhaji Sale Hussaini, said
in Bauchi yesterday that the machines would be distributed to women
groups in the 20 local government areas, adding: "The beneficiaries
will enjoy the machines on loan at highly subsidised rates."
The commissioner said the money for the project covered the cost of
installation and training of the beneficiaries on the use of the
machines.
According to him, "an assessment tour facilitated by Small and
Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) has been
carried out in the participating communities. The ministry
identified about 45 women groups to participate under the first
phase of the programme in 15 local government areas.
"One women cooperative society drawn from each of the 20 local
government areas will be given a unit of the machine at 25 per cent subsidy. The
machines can also be used for cow-pea oil production as well as other
agro-processing activities.
"The machine has the capacity of producing over 10,000 litres of groundnut oil
per day. We are also encouraging people to produce more groundnuts in order to
justify the huge government investment in the project," Hussani said.
The commissioner said government had also directed each of the 20 local
governments to buy 20 units of the machines for distribution to women in their
areas, adding that the measure was part of the strategies adopted to accelerate
the growth of small and medium scale enterprises, reduce poverty, create
employment and enhance wealth creation among rural women. The Groundnut
Development Scheme is an initiative of the First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar"Adua.
Vanguard
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