A Bill for an act to establish a food processing and preservation centre in Kwara, has scaled second reading at the House of Representatives.
Rep. Tunji Olawuyi (APC-Kwara) while debating on the general principles of the bill at Wednesday’s plenary in Abuja said that it was designed to ensure food security in the country.
Olawuyi said that the centre would process and preserve agricultural produce into finished or semi-finished products when established.
He said that the bill was targeted at creating massive employment for teeming Nigerian youths through the centre.
“Nigeria is highly endowed with vast arable land for farming, but we yet to maximise the accompanied benefits.
“Nigerian farmers are still faced with huge losses in terms of post harvest losses due to lack of storage facilities.
“This applies mostly to perishable items like mango, tomatoes, sugarcane, yam, cassava, among others,’’ he said.
Olawuyi stated that it was sad that Nigeria as a nation had lagged behind in terms of functional commodity exchange market which would yield foreign exchange for the country.
The House voted unanimously in favour of the bill after a voice vote, by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila.
It was thereafter referred to the Committee on Agricultural Institution for further legislative action.(NAN)
