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British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation inaugurates N7m palm-oil processing mill

By on June 15, 2013

The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, has said that the N7m palm-oil producing mill inaugurated in Ekpenyong Ufum community in Essien Udim Local Government, Akwa Ibom State, will help local farmers reduce agricultural produce waste.

The palm-oil processing mill is said to be one of the many initiatives of BATN to reduce poverty among Nigerian rural farmers and small-scale business owners.

BATN Foundation is a separate body from the British American Tobacco Nigeria, which seeks to achieve sustainable balance in economic growth, environmental protection, and social progress, with everyone being actively engaged in self and community development.

The Executive Director, BATN, Mr. Gbenga Ibikunle, said that the palm-oil processing cottage industry being donated to the Mfonabasi Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Ekpenyong Ufum, was the second of its kind to be inaugurated and donated in Akwa Ibom state and sixth in the South-South region of Nigeria.

He said, “The choice of this community is as a result of the series of dialogue sessions we had with the management of World Bank assisted FADAMA III Project, Akwa Ibom State.

“The construction and donation of this cottage industry to this community will go a long way in reducing agricultural produce wastage and drudgery in agricultural produce processing. This facility will engender higher productivity which will ultimately culminate in higher product quality, income and better livelihood for members of Mfonabasi Women Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Ekpenyong Ufum.

“The palm oil processing cottage industry to be inaugurated and donated on Wednesday is fully equipped with the following processing equipment namely: fruit bunch stripper, epicarp separator, fruit sterilizer, digester, clarifier, manual screw press, fibre separator, kernel cracker and diesel engines to power the install equipment.”

Ibikunle revealed that the foundation had also provided a functional borehole with a 5,000 litre water storage tank to provide adequate water for processing activities at the cottage industry and for sundry domestic use by members of the community.

 

 

[Punch]