By Stanley Onyekwere
The Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), in the the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Lawan Kolo Geidam, has underscored the crucial role of the private sector in the pursuit of sustainable food and nutrition security in the Territory.
To this end, Geidam revealed that the FCT Administration has adopted the Ease of Doing Business Initiative as a strategy to enhance the possibilities of private-public partnerships in driving sustainable development in the FCT.
Asserting this point during a recent courtesy visit by officials of the Agribusiness Innovation International Limited (AGRICON), in Abuja, the ARDS boss added that the Secretariat is currently in talks with several other organizations, all with the objective of repositioning the agricultural landscape of the territory.
He said: “The FCT Administration has fully keyed the into this Federal Government Initiative, aimed at galvanizing the involvement of well-meaning investors to complement its developmental efforts through the injection of funds and efficient ideas that would help enhance the development of our capital city and the agricultural sector is expected to be a major beneficiary of this initiative.”
He also assured that under the leadership of the Honorable Minister FCT Barrister Nyesom Wike and Honourable Minister of State FCT Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the agriculture sector will receive the required attention that will help to unlock its abundant potentials not only to investors but opportunities for the teeming population of FCT to earn sustainable means of livelihood.
Geidam recognized the contributions of AGRICON, which according to him has shown a commitment to adding value to agriculture in the FCT.
He adds: “At this point, we express our appreciation to your organization for your faith in us through the 2021 and 2022 AGRICON EXPO, which attracted investors from all over the world.
“we are optimistic that these dialogues will reinforce FCT’s standing as a foremost center for agricultural innovation and investment.”
Earlier in his remark, the CEO of AGRICON, Chief Maurice Ebo , thanked the Administration for the opportunity to contribute to the development of Abuja, the nation’s capital city.
He stated that the purpose of their visit was to update the Mandate Secretary on the impacts of their past events, which have reportedly had a significant positive effect on farmers, and to brief him on the upcoming 2024 AGRICON Fair and Expo which focuses on oil palm production which the FCT can immensely benefit from.
“We have secured the commitment of numerous Malaysian investors who will be attending the event in May 2024.
“The success of our collaboration with the FCT Administration is a testament to the potential of public-private partnerships we believe that with commitment, we can drive progress in the agricultural sector and improve the livelihoods of the people of FCT”, Ebo stressed.
