The Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to harness public and private investment through private sector partnership to facilitate food security in the state.
 
This is contained in a statement issued by the Assistant Director of Public Relations, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Tunbosun Ogunbanwo. The statement said the Special Adviser to the state governor on Food Security, Mr Sanni Okanlawon, made the assertion when he visited the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
 
He said that public and private sector partnership was an important drive to create a mixed sector economy for job creation and the base for expanding social services and environmental sustainability.
 
“The state government is poised to address poverty and guarantee good health by ensuring wholesomeness in the process and distribution of foods that citizens consume. It is necessary to monitor the whole process of food handling and distribution until it gets to the final consumers and we are currently proposing setting up Food Marshals Corp. This step is in line with the commitment of the present administration to ensure food security and that is part of the reasons why the Food Security office was created,’’ Okanlawon said.
 
He added that the reason for the visit was for the ministry to extend a handshake to the chamber to attract both foreign and local investors to the sector. The special adviser noted that the effort was for the industry to attract both local and foreign investors to Lagos and ensure quick returns on investment.
 
Okanlawon quipped that the state government will develop the Coconut value chain which is a strategic initiative to develop an expanded structure for Coconut production and processing through Public Private Partnership arrangement.
 
The special adviser said that the state government would continue to collaborate with any organisation or individual directly or indirectly contributing to the achievement of food sufficiency and safety.
 
In her response, the President of LCCI, Dr. Nike Akande noted that the chamber was ready to foster collaboration with the Lagos State Government, especially in the agriculture sector. She said this was because of the urgent need to address the issues of food security and safety which, she noted, was critical for social stability and security of lives and properties.