LAGOS/Nigeria: The Lagos State Government has announced that its ambitious coconut project will generate 200,000 job opportunities for the youth.
Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, made this announcement during a courtesy visit by the Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in Nigeria, Mr. Dominique Koffy. Salu-Hundeyin received Koffy on behalf of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in Ikeja on Tuesday.
Salu-Hundeyin highlighted the significant benefits of the project, noting, “In collaboration with the FAO, the government will utilize the state’s cash crop, coconut, to provide food for the citizens and create employment opportunities.”
She emphasized the value of the coconut tree, saying, “Coconut has a lot of benefits, and Lagos is grateful to God that He has blessed us with it. We are very blessed to have this tree that God has given us free of charge. We don’t want to lose that which God has given to us. We want to improve on it, so that we can feed our people in Lagos State.”
Explaining the broader impact of the project, she said, “We can employ our children, our youth so that they can be gainfully employed. They can eat healthily and affordably when this coconut is made into bread, garri, flour, chinchin, and more. It will be cheaper than most things.”
Highlighting the environmental benefits, she added, “Coconut, apart from being food for us, is also money in hand. It is also protection against climate change adversities. We use it to build a wall. We know that coconut is a blessed fruit, and we are grateful to God.”
Salu-Hundeyin praised Governor Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to the welfare of Lagosians. “Mr. Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, is very concerned about the citizens of his state. All he wants is food for them, a good economy, and better liveability. So, anything that will bring comfort, succor, and enjoyment to us as Lagosians, that is what he’s interested in.”
She assured that all necessary preparations for the project have been made, stating, “Mr. Governor has made all provisions, even our counterpart funding is ready. Everything to start this project is ready because we know that it is a project that the citizens of Lagos State, Nigeria as a whole, and West Africa will benefit from. Lagos wants to feed Lagos, Nigeria, and make Africa proud.”
Salu-Hundeyin stressed the importance of the coconut project for the youth, saying, “We know that the coconut project will give our youth nothing less than 200,000 job opportunities, which is a good thing for us, and so Mr. Governor says he’s buying into it.”
Mr. Dominique Koffy expressed the FAO’s readiness to collaborate with the Lagos State Government on the coconut value chain development, which would create employment. He praised the Federal Government and Lagos State Government for their willingness to work with the FAO.
Koffy also mentioned that the FAO and the Lagos State Government would be working on cattle feedlots to develop cattle farms for youth productivity, not just for Nigeria but for export. “Nigeria has an enabling environment to develop the necessary farms in the country,” Koffy said, emphasizing the need for strong policies to boost production and ensure food
