FCTA, AfDB Parley on Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones

FCTA, AfDB Parley on Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are presently engaged in the process of fine-tuning modalities for the smooth take-off of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) as well as the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).

The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, made the commitment when she flagged off sales of buffer stock comprising 7,200 bags of maize and 2,500 bags of guinea corn of 50kg bags each at 50 percent subsidised rate to residents of the territory and distributed motorcycles to agriculture extension agents.

She maintained that the decisions of multi-national companies and the AfDB to invest in FCT was to boost productivity and integrate production, processing, distribution and most importantly, create jobs and wealth for the teeming youths.

She also reiterated that the FCT Administration has been making efforts to open-up the Agricultural landscape and attract suitable investment, adding that the efforts were beginning to yield the desired results.

“This is in addition to a number of local and multi-national companies that are in the process of finalising investment commitments in various agricultural value chains within the FCT,” Aliyu said.

She vowed the commitment of the administration towards job creation through the agriculture value chain, stressing that a number of local and multi-national companies were in the process of finalising investment commitments in various agricultural value chains within the FCT.
The minister assured that the administration has placed priority on the agricultural sector in order to unlock its abundant potential.

In a related development, the minister also flagged off the harvest and sales of products by beneficiaries at FCT Aquaculture and Allied Trades center for youth and women in Kwali Area Council.

Aliyu revealed that the conceptualisation of the projects by the FCT Administration was aimed at addressing problems of poverty by creating viable source of livelihood especially for the less privileged members of the society.

Earlier in his remarks, the Acting Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mr. Ibe Prospect, stressed that the buffer stock programme was an initiative practiced globally, aimed at ensuring the availability of agricultural produce to the public at affordable rate.

He assured residents of the territory of the administration’s continued commitment to quality service delivery, while appealing to residents to cooperate with the committee in the smooth conduct of the sales exercise.

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