Ladi Daniels
As Nigeria grapples with the issues of limited foreign exchange, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says production of a home-grown piggery and pig processing will stem the weekly loss of millions of naira on beef consumption in form of capital flight.
The governor who stated this in Akure on Monday while inaugurating an ultra-large Big Dutchman Piggery and its supporting facilities, as part of activities marking 100 days of his second term in office, said that money which would have remained within to lubricate the economy of the state was lost to other states that supplied cow and other meat sources.
He said piggery production would also create a veritable means of empowerment and employment for youths.
Youth unemployment he noted has rendered a large percentage of Nigerian youths productively unengaged in spite of constituting over 60 per cent of the population.
According to him, Ondo State is no exception, as a large proportion of its youths are unemployed or underemployed.
“This disturbing scenario is despite the numerous opportunities that could be harnessed and transformed into economic activities.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria is currently going through serious economic challenges,” he said.
Earlier, Moses Makanju, the Representative of Big Dutchman, had said the piggery project was the first of its kind in Nigeria, stating further that the project was also of European standard which comprised breeding, farrowing, nursery, finishing and slaughtering sections.
Also, Mr Francis Dacho, Chairman, Pig Farmers Association, Ondo State, appreciated the governor for bringing the project to limelight and promised that the association would maintain and sustain the project.