Technology key for productivity in Africa

NaijaAgroNet

Technology has been described as a major factor for improved productivity in Africa, so said Dr. Hannah Bissiw, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in charge of Livestock in Ghana, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Dr. Bissiw,NaijaAgroNet gathered, stated this at the opening of Ghana/Kenya Trade and Investment Mission in Accra, stressing the need for African countries to expand trade among themselves.

She also said that as most African countries depend largely on their agricultural sectors to lead the transformation of their economies, “we cannot but strive to improve our agricultural sectors through the application of science and technology,” NaijaAgroNet learnt.

Dr Bissiw further said that the mission provided both countries the opportunity to elaborate cooperation in the MOU and put in place a plan of action to realise the ideals.

The Mission follows the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in December 2014 in Nairobi to promote trade, investments, exchange of science and technology and knowledge between Ghana and Kenya.

President John Dramani Mahama during an official visit to Kenya last year, NaijaAgroNet learnt, also signed seven bilateral agreements with the country to ease the conditions for doing business and boosting bilateral trade relations.

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Niger Delta: 2,200 youths gain skills

NaijaAgroNet

Over 2,200 youths in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria have been empowered in various skills. This revelation was made recently by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Steve Oru, NaijaAgroNet

reports.

He stated that under the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration non-militant youths in the region have acquired various skills."Mr. President has been so passionate about the people in the Niger Delta region. It is on the strength of his transformation initiative that the ministry has made progress so far."

Dr. Oru said the youths were trained in oil and gas, agriculture, maritime, seafarers, engineering, information and communications technology (ICT) as well as iPad and telephone assembly, adding that the trainees were all drawn from the nine states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and monitored by NaijaAgroNet, Oru explained that the training and empowerment programmes for youths in the region was a continuous exercise.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that the ministry's skills acquisition centres in the nine oil producing states of the Niger Delta region were near completion even though fund is a major challenge but that efforts were being made to bring all the centres on stream.

"The centre in Akwa Ibom and Delta states would concentrate on oil and gas, ICT and maritime studies.The centres in Abia and Imo will train youths in commerce, the one in Cross River is on entertainment and tourism while the Ondo skills acquisition centre will focus on agriculture.

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