Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said the 60-metric tonnes cassava starch factory built by the state government will be inaugurated soon.
Governor Diri disclosed this at the weekend during an inspection tour of the factory located at Ebedebiri in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
Diri, who expressed satisfaction with the level of work done, noted that due to its production capacity, the quantity of cassava produced in the state would not be enough for it to produce at full capacity.
He called on the people to go into cassava farming as it would be a source of revenue generation not only to the state but also the people.
“In order to meet the plant’s expected production capacity, the governor urged people of the state to engage in massive cassava farming”
He said: “This is an indication that our people have to go back to the farms as what we are producing now would not be enough for the factory. So, I call on all Bayelsans to be very serious with cassava farming and production.
“All the necessary tools and machines are here. We are talking about commercial farming so you can make money.”
He also commended his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, for embarking on the project aimed at producing starch for industrial purpose.
He also thanked the host community for securing the plant against vandalism.
In her remarks, Technical Adviser to the governor on Agric, enterprise development, Mrs Helen Ajuwa, who took the governor round the factory, stated that it has the capacity to process 60 metric tonnes of cassava per day.
She said “Those that have Cassava should expand more on the production on their farm, and people that don’t have should start preparing to get from other sources because the demand for cassava stem will be very high”
She also noted that direct and indirect engagement of workers will help reduce the unemployment rate in the state.
The factory is for making of industrial starch for local and modified starch for customers as specified which are used for the textile industry, Pharmaceutical industry, they all need starch in their forms.
“Industrial for local market and international market, for now our focus is not based on Garri production but for modified and liquid.
