Ogun State Government rebuts PM News report on Magboro rice project

September 13, 2024

By Samuel Ogunsona

The Ogun State Government has denounced a report by PM News claiming that the Magboro rice project, launched by Governor Dapo Abiodun, is a private initiative rather than a state government project.

The Government through their official X page described the report as a “terrible hatchet job” filled with biases, half-truths, and logical fallacies.

The report alleged that the project belongs to Alhaji Bello Zabarmawa, a businessman from Kebbi State, contrary to Governor Abiodun’s statement during his visit to the 200-hectare rice farm.

However, the person alleged to have made the statement denied ever doing so, further discrediting the report.

The Government clarified that the 200-hectare rice farm is owned by 200 farmers aggregated under the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), supported by the World Bank.

The project aims to stimulate economic growth and improve income for smallholder farmers, with the state government providing critical support, including training, discounted inputs, mechanization, and linkage to offtakers.

The Government also highlighted its contributions to the project, including 65% of the production cost, and emphasized its commitment to supporting farmers and promoting modern mechanization services.

Governor Abiodun had previously stated that the project would be scaled up to 2,000 hectares, and the government remains dedicated to actualizing its desire to provide food for its populace through initiatives like the OGSTEP Agricultural Sector intervention.