Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Kebbi State Government yesterday handed over 10 hectares of land to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for the establishment of Agricultural Machinery Development Institute (AMEDI) in Birnin Kebbi.
This was in line with the federal government’s directive that the six geopolitical zones in the country should host one AMEDI each, a statement by the Director of Information, Mr. Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, said.
The document of the 10 hectares of land situated along Birnin Kebbi-Argungu road was handed over to the Executive Vice Chairman /CEO of the Agency, Khalil Halilu by the Permanent Secretary of Kebbi State Cabinet Office, Dahiru Zaki.
Kebbi State, it was learnt, got the nod of the federal government because of its vast arable land in rice production and other farm produce among the seven states of the North-west geopolitical zone.
The handing over of the land documents was done on the permanent site of the proposed institute. NASENI’s Director of Procurement, Dr. Mohammed Mohammed, received the documents on behalf of the EVC /CEO of the Agency.
Zaki said that Kebbi State people were grateful to the federal government for locating the institute in the state saying it will accelerate development and create job opportunities for the teeming youths in the state.
He added that Kebbi State was chosen as the site of the new AMEDI due to its agrarian capacity in rice production and other cash crops.
He added: ”This land was earmarked by the state government in the last two years for allocation to NASENI for establishment of AMEDI. We are the leading producer of rice and so many other crops and that is what informed the decision to site this project in Kebbi state.”
Speaking on behalf of the EVC/CEO of NASENI, Mohammed appreciated Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State for giving NASENI the land at a strategic location along Airport road in Birnin Kebbi to start building the Institute. He said the project would commence immediately as the EVC/CEO has put all the necessary machinery in place
