New Hopes For Plateau Agricultural Entrepreneurs As Gov Muftwang Forges Links With NIPC

By Mani Imman

During his electioneering campaigns, Governor Caleb Mutfwang had promised to, among other things, ensure a creative, resourceful, and sustainable approach to agriculture, tourism, solid minerals development in Plateau State.

Since his advent and despite security challenges the governor has steadfastly been moving towards actualising his promise with the aim of restoring the state’s leading position as a state overflowing with agricultural entrepreneurs.

Apart from the conventional African foods, the State is also the home of exotic fruits and flowers which, if properly harnessed, will create jobs and wealth, improving the revenue.

It was in part towards that direction that Governor Mutfwang, whose administration is creating a conducive environment for lawful businesses to thrive, recently met with the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC, Aisha Rimi to discuss issues that would unlock the economic potential of the State.

He ensured that the strategic engagement with the NIPC focused on the State’s rich potential in agriculture, mining, ecotourism, energy, and other sectors, which offer abundant opportunities across the value chain.

Governor Mutfwang expressed the State’s readiness to build relationships with reputable global organizations and foster an enabling environment for robust Public-Private Partnerships to drive sustainable development.

He pointed out the importance of good road networks to economic development and called for the urgent rehabilitation of roads to enhance business interconnectivity among States.

The Governor also hinted that good roads would impact the tourism potential of the State saying that Plateau is home to Africa’s second-largest urban wildlife park, and his administration is working to significantly boost the State’s tourism potential to serve as a key driver of economic growth and development.

However, Ms Rimi, seeing the Governor’s zeal to reposition the State, gave the NIPC’s commitment to working with the Plateau State Government to unlock opportunities crucial for driving and sustaining economic growth in the State and beyond.

Reacting to the said engagement, the Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Musa Ashoms added, “Plateau State is open for businesses, you must give them a template and atmosphere that is friendly.

“This governor has proven to have that mindset and has tuned Plateau State on that pedestrian. That is why investors from everywhere come into the State to explore business opportunities.

“Recently, the team from the African Development Bank inspected the special agricultural processing zone.

“We’ve had the US Acting Ambassador come to Plateau State. We’ve had the Minister of Trade from Germany come. We’ve had investors from all over the world. And even those at home, come to explore the business opportunities on the Plateau.

“The meeting with NIPC is a vista that has been opened for others to know that there are business opportunities on the Plateau.

Not long ago, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority was in Jos to see the Yakubu Gowon Airport, to see how to take it to the international standard or in the interim, make it a cargo airport where goods can leave Jos in the morning and they are in different parts of the country”, he said.

Continuing, Ashoms maintained, “The State Ministry of Transport is looking at opening a new route from Jos to Port Harcourt. Let it not just be the Abuja, and Lagos routes only.

“We’re also looking at opening one route to the northwest and another to the northeast. That is Jos-Kano, Jos-Maiduguri so that we explore new business opportunities.

“The atmosphere that we have right now is conducive for investments and we’re open to the Build, Operate and Transfer, BOT, basis. We can also engage people in PPP public-private partnerships so that the State will grow.

“We are a pro-people government. Once these investments come to Plateau State, our people will be employed, the private sector will grow tremendously. So, as the government, these are the things we’re doing to make sure that we open up Plateau State to new businesses, to new investments, to new ideas.”