Ministry, NRC seal pact on cassava chips' haulage

A MEMORANDUM of Understanding (MoU) to ensure uninterrupted haulage of cassava chips from the Western part of the country has been signed between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).NRC explained yesterday that the partnership is also aimed at accelerated export of the commodity to Asia and other parts of the world.The corporation recently ran the first train of 160 tonnes of cassava chips from Ilorin, Kwara State to Lagos seaport for onward movement to Asia.NRCexplained that the MoU was reached to actualise the transformation agenda of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, 'which centers on large-scale movement of cassava and other agrarian products of comparative advantage to the global market'.The Managing Director of the corporation, Adeseyi Sijuwade, expressed optimism that the organisation would take more market share of freight haulage as soon as Lagos - Kano rail services begin.Sijuwade was particularly happy that the era of hauling goods up North and returning with empty wagons was over with the cassava chips haulage business from Ilorin to Lagos seaports.'In our strategic effort to improve our revenue base through optimal mobilisation of our movable assets and other facilities, we run cement freight trains for Lafarge from Lagos to Ilorin after which we deploy the same set of wagons to move tons of cassava from Ilorin to Lagos ports',said SijuwadeMeanwhile, a press statement issued by Segun Esan, of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture assured preparedness of the ministry to fulfill its own side of the collaboration.The statement urged the cassava farmers to make the best out of the opportunity being made available to them for competitive global trading.
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