The Chairman, Board of Directors, FBB Rice mill, Fatima Binta Bello has explained that the agricultural policies of Muhammadu Buhari led administration had inspired her to establish the rice mill in Kano.
The 160 ton capacity rice processing factory was commissioned on Saturday by the former governor of Gombe state, Senator Muhammadu Danjuma Goje in furtherance of the Federal Government’s drive to ensure sufficiency of locally produced rice for public consumption.
It would be recalled that the government banned importation of foreign rice with a view to among some other reasons encourage local cultivation of rice in the country.
Speaking to newsmen during the commissioning of the company, the former lawmaker described the government’s rice policy as a great boost to the economy.
She explained that, “The motivation behind the investment is government has called on Nigerians to go back to farm; and with the closure of the border and the ban on imported goods from other countries we felt that whatever machinery those people are using outside Nigeria we should import them to Nigeria as well and give Nigerians the best quality of food that they deserve.
“We don’t need to import food again, as you can see all our machinery are from India and if you look at the quality of our rice is equal to any rice in this world.
“We have the capacity of 160 tons per day and we have 140 staff as at now by that we have brought job opportunities for the youths and going further by expanding the factory we are going to grow more further and expand the mill to 300 tons per day because we have gotten all the support from federal government, rice mill support by CBN support to grow rice in-house and I think we are good to go.
She said the mill has entered into partnership with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) for the supply of paddy rice to the factory.
Fatima Bello, a former federal lawmaker from Gombe State encouraged women to venture into politics and business to contribute their quota to national development, saying the government has given a level playing ground for them to grow and prosper.
“I feel that every women has a place in Nigerian business and Nigerian politics. I want to tell women that it is not about being at home only, if the woman has the ability and the determination she can manage her home, she can manage her business and many other activities. So women should not just sit down at home and wait for the men to meet their needs.
“They should wake up, the time now is not for wen to sit down the President has given us a level playing ground for everybody to be in the competition and we are happy that we have started and we are going to make it grow” she added.
She said FBB rice mill is committed to providing customers with fine refined rice locally manufactured by utilising the most technologically advanced milling and sorting equipment the industry has to offer.
She added that the company provides livelihood to over a 100 employees and is working hard towards achieving the Nigeria’s dream of attaining food security for the nation.
The former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who was represented by his son, Mohammed Atiku Abubakar at commissioning ceremony commended Fatima Bello’s giant strides at contributing to food sufficiency in the country, describing it as a right step in the right direction.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the state power distribution company KEDCO, Jamilu Isiaku Gwamna promised constant supply of electricity to the factory to enable it achieve its objectives.
