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| SENATOR LOKPOBIRI |
Federal government has once more expressed strong political
will and commitment to creating business employment in agriculture.
This determination and strategy in achieving
this commendable objective and goal was re-iterated by the Honourable Minister
of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri,
Ph.D (Leads) in Abuja, when officials of Nestle Nigeria Plc lead by its
Managing Director and chief Executive Officer, Mauricio Alarcon visited the
Minster in his Officer in Abuja.
Lokpobiri said that the business-employment opportunities in
Agriculture cannot be fully tapped despite our increasing population. Commending the good work and business
activities of Nestle Nigeria whose source of raw materials for production of
her varied food products is 82% local content was appreciated by the Federal Government;
this has reduced the pressure on foreign exchange for importation of such
needed raw materials.
This sourcing has
automatically created business-employment for Nigerians across board,
especially farmers who grow the needed produce which Nestle needs for their
final nutrition food products. The
Minister was optimistic that very soon their raw materials will be sourced 100%
locally in Nigeria, thereby increasing the business-employment opportunities
for more Nigerians.
Re-assuring the officials from Nestle, Lokpobiri said Federal
Government is willing and ready to both partner and support Nestle and ensure
that everything humanly possible will be done to meet Nestle’s needs of raw
materials. Presently, they require
Cassava starch in the production of some of the food items they produce, this the
Minister assured will be quickly addressed as a priority since this will be greatly beneficial to
Nigeria since we shall be consuming what we produce, thereby taking the
Nigerian Economy from recession and implementing one of the cardinal area of
the Economic Recovery and Growth Plans (ERGP) of the Administration with Agriculture
as one of the key Sectors to achieve some of the campaign promise made to the
electorates.
The Minister commended the corporate Social Responsibilities
of Nestle Nigeria Plc in the provision of water, training, capacity building
for over 41,600 farmers confirmed Nestle’s intention to invest in new land and
capacity building for over 41,600 farmers who produce Maize, Rice, Sorghum and
more importantly, the production of nutritious food for over twenty four
thousand households who depend on their products with also over 2000 employees
in the company payroll in Nigeria.
Earlier, the Managing Director and chief Executive Officer of
Nestle Mauricio Alarcon said they were in the Ministry to seek Federal
Government collaboration in the production of more food products, in his words
‘We can’t talk of food without talking about Agriculture’ and that they are
convinced that to build partnership, we need to collaborate and establish
effective channels of communication, which is the sure way of moving Nigeria
forward to a truly self-sufficient food secured nation, Alarco confirmed
Nestles intention to invest in new land and capacity building. This time in Cassava Corn Flour, he also
promised that Nestle will be an example of what a Company can do in Nigeria by
creating enviable share value addition to the Nigerian government for other
companies to emulate to grow and boost the Nigerian economy to a prosperous
peak height.
He further stated that as part of their corporate social
responsibility, they teach healthy food habits and cuisine give good guides on
food products, teach kids on good nutrition habits, another of their program me
is Project Wealth, Young Entrepreneur Training, Technical Training Centers are
in place at Agbara and also more recently at Abaji – near Abuja. They also give academic scholarships to best
students.
Some Directors from Agribusiness, Veterinary and Pest Control
Services, Animal Husbandry and Nutrition also made observation during the
visit.
Lere-Adams,
A. B. (Mrs.)
Deputy Director (Information)
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