Source: All Africa
A group, Kogi Women Reform (KWI) has said that the body will establish a cassava processing factory in the state.

President of the group, Mrs. Idaudu Iyoma Orah said this yesterday at this year's anniversary of the group and N20 million fund raising ceremony for the establishment of cassava processing industry.

The factory would be sited in Agbaja village near Lokoja, the state capital.

Orah said the establishment of cassava processing project was borne out of the compelling desire for the women group to be actively engaged in productive ventures.

She said the project is aimed at improving the socio-economic well being of women through job creation, adding that the bye products of the industry which include gari, starch, cassava chips and cassava flours, among others are in high demand within and outside the state.

"It is our hope that the industry will provide jobs for our jobless youths and when our women are empowered through the establishment of the cassava processing project they will no longer depend on politicians for salt and Maggi during and after elections," she said.

Also speaking, the President of Kogi State Women in Agriculture, Comrade Esther Audu commended the group for the project aimed at empowering women to be self reliant in the society.

She said that women in the state have also perfected plan to establish cassava bio fuel refinery in the state.

"This is a refinery where kerosene is extracted from cassava tubers, the kerosene from cassava tubers has been tested and it does not cause smoke or make the cooking pot go black," she said. 

• Nigeria