My name is Mbuotidem Jim Ibanga, 33, I am indigenous to Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. I graduated from the University of Port Harcourt with a degree in Exploration Geophysics.
My proposed project involves setting up a standard and fully-mechanized mill with facilities for processing palm oil, grinding of cassava roots, and cracking and separation of palm kernel nuts, at a charge for services rendered.
It would be done by the installation of plant (water-cooled diesel engine) with operational units and facilities embedded into it. The facilities, such as digester, stripper, and presser for palm oil processing, will be fixed to extract from a harvested oil palm fruits, a high yield of a product of acceptable quality for international and local edible palm oil.
The facility for grinding of cassava will be fixed to crush a harvested and peeled cassava roots into soluble substance for processing into garri. While the facilities for cracking and separation of palm kernel nut are designed to crack the processed palm kernel nuts and separate it from the chaff.
It also involves drilling a borehole, which shall serve as the source of water at the mill. The whole complex shall be roofed, drainage system and space provided.
Entrepreneurs see opportunities and maximize them when others don’t see them. I am motivated by the profitability and viability of the project to embark on it.
The abundance of palm trees and cassava plantations in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria, makes the area a good site for setting a processing mill for palm fruit and cassava processing.
I am also motivated by emotional desire to help, improve, and transform the ways in which palm fruit is processed so that palm oil recovery will be enhanced. Cassava is well ground, and palm kernel is cracked and separated very well.
The mill, when fully operational, will provide me income and also generate employment to many especially the poor women in my community.
When I have additional income, I would be able to contribute more towards building a bright future for my community, and when these poor women are employed, food will be put on their tables for themselves and their families.
For my project to be achieved, I need to get my business name registered with government, I need to purchase equipment and machinery, buy land and set up a building for the mill, and drill borehole.
Already, I have named my business and got it registered as Jimag Processing Mill with government and I have been issued with a business name registration number. Also, I have acquired a parcel of land for this project.
For my project to be successful, I need to procure equipment and machinery, set up a building and drill borehole.
The USD 5,000 grant will be used to procure equipment and machinery, set up a building and drill borehole and the remaining used to get the project started.
Budget (NGN)
- 1 unit of water-cooled diesel engine, 150,000
- 1 unit of cassava grater, 35,000
- 1 unit of kernel cracker and separator, 200,000
- 1 unit of manual presser, 40,000
- 1 unit of digester, 30,000
- Erecting a building (mill hall), 150,000
- Borehole drilling with overhead tank, 200,000
- Labour/installation, 50,000
Total 855,000
This amounts to USD 4,290.
Blogpost and picture submitted by Mbuotidem Jim Ibanga (Nigeria): mjibang[at]yahoo.com
The content, structure and grammar are at the discretion of the author only.
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