Presidential aide inspect Neem plant project in Katsina
From Mu’awuya B. Idris, Katsina

Senior Special Adviser to the President on economic matters, Chief Deaconess John Ayo has inspected Neem plant project in Katsina state in preparation for its commissioning by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Inspecting the plant, Chief Ayo said the establishment of the plant was part of the cardinal objective of the presidential initiative to harness the abundant resources in the country.
“The desire of the federal government is to fully harness and utilize natural resources to boost National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS), and as well to ensure its sustainable”, Chief Ayo stressed.
The presidential aids expressed satisfaction with the level of the work so far implemented and thanked all stakeholders in the project execution particularly Katsina state, government, for setting all civil structures, electricity and water at the plant site.
In his remark, the director general of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria, Dr Ebeneze Okonkwo stated that the federal government, through NARICT, provided all equipments and machineries for the establishment of the plant.
Dr. Okonwo said the plant, being the first in the country, when fully in operational would have the capacity to processing to 400 metric tones of Neem seed into neem oil, liquid formulation of bio-pesticides neem fertilizer and concentrated Neem powder.
Also speaking, the Katsina state commissioner of agriculture and natural resources, Alhaji Ali Husaini Dutsin-Ma said government, through NARICT, has trained people from the state on all operations of the plant to ensure sustainability and smooth operation.
Alhaji Hussaini explained that Katsina state is rich in Neem trees and could provide adequate resources to the plant.
He stated that government had demonstrated commitment to maintain the ecological equilibrium of the environment by planting trees regularly as well as mobilization of communities to create awareness on the need for community involvement to attain success.