President Bola Tinubu is expected to inaugurate an agro-processing zone, agric equipment and the remodelled Minna International Airport on Monday.

Gov. Mohammed Umaru-Bago of Niger said while inspecting the projects on Saturday, that about 2,000 hectares would be utilised for the agro-processing zone project.

Also on the inspection team was the president of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo.

Mr Bago said about 1,000 hectares would be utilised for drip irrigation and green houses while an additional 1,000 hectare was specifically for processing of dairy products.

He added that the remodelling of the International Airport in Minna had reached 99 per cent completion.

“Niger State sells an average of half a million cattle to Nigerians and people outside Nigeria daily.

“We don’t need to transport these cattle by road at all, you can take the meat that is frozen from the airport to anywhere and it will create employment, enhance value chain,” the governor added.

On the agro zone, he said water would be piped from Shiroro dam for use by farmers at the site.

“We are constructing about 140 kilometres of water irrigation channels to this place from Shiroro dam,” he said.

The governor said the projects would be executed in partnership with some foreign companies.

“This project is an ambitious 50-year programme, but the first phase will be finished in the next few years so that Mr. President can commission it.

“We are bringing in 80 Megawatts of power to this airport,” he added.

He said government would offer tax holiday for companies willing to move to the state.

“Niger State has strategically positioned itself now to become Nigeria’s water reservoir so that the overflow from all these dams and rivers can now be stored for irrigation and we plug them during crisis,” he added.

The NUJ president commended the governor for the initiative.

“Coming here today to see the massive transformation that is ongoing in this place speaks volumes about the commitment of the present administration in the state.

“If you go around the airport, you can see that it can compete with any other airport in Africa and that shows that the government has invested so much in this airport,” he added.

He said that the idea of locating the agro-processing zone within the airport was a great idea.

“Before now, we were dependent on oil, but there is a need to diversify and that is what the governor has done by focusing on agriculture,” Mr Isiguzo said.

(NAN)