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Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State last week commissioned an ultramodern multibillion naira cassava-to-ethanol plant at Igbesa, Ado/Odo-Ota Local Government Area of the state.
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colourless liquid generally produced by the fermentation of starch from crops like corn, wheat, grain sorghum, barley, potatoes and cassava, and from sugar crops such as sugar cane and sweet sorghum.
The new plant which belongs to Allied Atlantic Distilleries Limited is the first of its kind in Africa, is expected to engage over 8,000 farmers, utilise a record-breaking 75,000 tons of cassava annually, provide indirect employment for over 40,000 people, and produce about 9million litres of ethanol annually.
Amosun, while delivering his address at the commissioning of the AADL plant, commended the vision of late Ayo Rosiji, founding chairman of Nigeria Distilleries Limited, who pursued the trailblazing vision until his passing. The governor also saluted the relentless efforts of Olajide Rosiji, current chairman of the Lexcel Group (of which AADL is a subsidiary), who stayed focused until he saw his father’s vision become a pioneering success.
Speaking further, Amosun invited investors within and outside the country to be a part of his administration’s industrial revolution that has seen him commission about 40 factories within the state since his inauguration, just as he encouraged industrialists to utilise raw materials within the country to reduce pressure on the nation’s foreign exchange and create employment for Nigeria’s teeming youth.
Earlier in his address, Olajide Rosiji stated that the new ethanol factory will “produce 9 million litres of ENA (Extra Neutral Alcohol) per annum using 250 tons of cassava per day,” which according him, amounts to 75,000 tons of cassava per annum.
While admitting that the utilisation of agriculture produce like cassava as raw materials for industries can be a daunting task due to the need for consistency in the supply chain, the Lexcel Group Chairman stated that AADL was engaging farmers in the Ogun and Oyo states axis to ensure the increase in production of the crop.
“Presently, we engage over 8,000 farmers located within 70km radius of Igbesa covering Ogun and Oyo states providing indirect employment to more than 40,000 people,” Rosiji explained, adding that “over the last 5 years, we have rigorously expanded our support services in order to bring increased income to farmers who support us.”
He added that in order to achieve the necessary output, AADL has seen the wisdom of treating farmers as partners and hence provides “full range of agronomy package of practices, improved variety, seed planting and harvesting support, land clearing and support for mechanisation where appropriate.”
These, he said, had led to an increase in yields from an average of 12 tons per hectares to 22 tons per hectares of farmland.
Aside the production of ethanol, Rosiji revealed that the new plant will also produce carbon dioxide (CO2) which is a better and purer ethanol for human consumption and for use by soft drinks industries.
He added that with the successful coming on stream of the cassava-to-ethanol plant, rated as international quality standard, AADL will also strive to achieve the production of starch, glue and glucose from cassava.
The event, which saw the gathering of dignitaries from across the state, the country and beyond, had former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the special guest of the occasion, absent due to the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Akinwunmi Adesina, honourable minister of agriculture, also absent due to the Summit but ably represented by Oluwatoyin Adetunji, technical adviser on cassava value chain, of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Other dignitaries and royal fathers of the state were also present at the occasion.
By: OLUSEGUN ABISOYE
