PLATEAU: OPGAN to install Palm oil processing machines in Bokkos, Namu, and Ajikamai
Sawabiya YarKarkara
Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN), Plateau State Chapter, has set up a five man committee to facilitate process of installing some major palm oil processing equipments in three palm growing Communities of Plateau State.
OPGAN is a Non-Governmental Organisation registered with Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission has offices in 27 States of Nigeria.
The five man committee members are saddled with the mandate of facilitating the process of lounching and installing the newly purchased oil Palm processing machines in Ajikanai in Shendam Local Government Area, Namu in Quaanpan Local Government Area and Bokkos Local Government Area of the State.
Committee members are Engineer Emmanuel Yola Kwapnoe, Mr.Andrew Yenkwo, Mrs. Florence Guful and Mr. Manasseh Watyil.
Earlier during OPGAN's State Congress meeting which lead to the setting up of this committee, State Chairman of the Organization, Honorable Justice Pius Damulak(Retired) had called on Plateau especially those in palm oil yielding communities to take advantage of the programmes for economic bursting of the State.
Justice Damulak said, Plateau needs to be part of the process of Jacking up palm oil production in Nigeria to complete with it's global Counterparts like Malaysia and Indonasia.
“Considering the fact that, a barrel of Palm oil is twice expensive compared to that of the Petroleum crude oil in the market, every Nigerian is supposed to own at least ten Palm tree stand to get out of poverty, unemployment, hunger and curbing of some social ills” said Damulak.
He said, “despite Plateau lagging behind in the Palm oil farming, and although Plateau is not among the major Palm oil producing States in the Country, but hope is not lost since it has been identified as one of the states producing the commodity though in a small scale. So, we are hopeful”
This is why we decided to join OPGAN and by now, we can at least beat our chest to say, we have been included amongst the palm oil growing States in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Small oil growers, control 80% percent of the oil palm market in Nigeria.
Damulak also told members that, Makasiah is already working on how to generate power through palm oil product and how they can fuel their cars with the palm oil products.
The State Executive of OPGAN also said, apart from those palm oil milling plants bought by Governor Simon Lalong of the State, OPGAN plateau has also received some palm oil farm maintainance tool.
Explaining the benefits of farming, OPGAN State Chairman said, “If palm oil industry can lift millions of people out of poverty in Indonesia and Malaysia, which together account for around 85 per cent of global production, created millions of well-paying jobs, and enabled tens of thousands of smallholder farmers to own their own land in those Countries . I think, Plateau can start from somewhere”.
“In Indonesia the palm oil industry accounts for 1.6 per cent of GDP and employs 4.5 million people. As the majority of the harvest is exported the industry brings in more than $18 billion a year in foreign exchange, the single biggest contributor in the country. Hope is not lost in Nigeria and Plateaus”
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