By James Emejo and Folalumi Alaran
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo has said the federal government will support the plan to establish a N2 billion centre animal husbandry as well as local and foreign investments in the country.
Speaking when he received a delegation from the Daniel Franco Institute, which paid him a courtesy visit, the minister said the federal government would continue to do its best to make the country a safe destination for investors.
In a statement by his media aide, Ifedayo Sayo, Adebayo, he said his ministry has the mandate of facilitating the development of viable non-oil commodities, in line with quality management systems, geared towards boosting indigenous food and animal production, consumption/sustainability, as well as acceptability at targeted international markets for foreign exchange earnings.
He pointed out that it was imperative for the ministry to engage the institute to deliberate on the nature of strategic partnership and level of collaboration.
However, the institute has sought the minister’s support for the setting up of the Rabelat Entrepreneurship Centre for Animal Husbandry (RECAH) in Nigeria.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Rabelat, Dr Ahmed Raji, said RECAH was structured to run both training and commercial outfits for the animal husbandry subsector.
He explained that the training arm would focus on the basic studies in animal husbandry and entrepreneurship, and provide the platform for trainees to select, breed, care-for, process and market livestock and small animals.
He put the cost of the project at N2 billion, adding that the amount would be spent on the construction of administration block and lecture halls, hostel, purchase of teaching aids, and construction of other infrastructural facilities.
He listed the benefits of RECHA to include aiding and fast tracking development of agribusiness in the country, creation of 50,000 jobs and solving the problem of herdsmen-farmers clashes that had become a common occurrence in the country.
Raji, therefore, solicited the support of the minister towards the setting up of the institute, stressing that the project will greatly enhance the growth of the agricultural sector of the economy.
