Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, on Thursday performed the groundbreaking for the multi-billion naira Tingo Foods Plc Food Processing Facility in the state.

The governor performed the function at the project site at Onicha-Ugbo, Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state.

The facility is an agro-industrial complex that will produce a variety of food products including rice, pasta (noodles and spaghetti), tea, beverages, beer, bottled water, biscuits, chocolate and others.

The project also includes a storage facility to serve the factories and covers a total area of 382,600 square metres (38.26 ha)

Speaking at the ceremony, Gov. Okowa congratulated the project investors, emphasising that the project was a validation of the conducive business environment created by his administration in the past seven and half years.

Represented by the Chief Job Creation Officer, Prof. Eric Eboh, Okowa reiterated that the benefits of the project to farmers and people of the state were in line with the development objectives of the state government which include job creation, inclusive growth and sustainable prosperity for all Deltans.

He said that the state government would continue to identify with the project given the potential benefits of the private sector agro-processing complex to the agricultural value chain in the state.

Special Guest of Honour, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, in his remarks said that the facility was one of the private sector initiatives under the Special Agricultural Processing Zones (SAPZs) programme of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and African Development Bank.

The event marks the commencement of construction of the foods processing facility, wholly owned by Tingo International Holdings Inc. The President of Tingo Foods Plc, Dr. Christopher Cleverly, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Tingo Foods Plc, Ms. Neta Mehta, were in attendance.

Others include His Royal Majesty, Obi Victor Chukwumalieze, Obi of Onicha-Ugbo, President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Farouk Rabiu Mudi, Commissioner of Police, other invited dignitaries and people of Onicha-Ugbo.