NANTS, ECOWAS boost FCT with milk factory - NaijaAgroNet

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The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have boosted the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with the siting of milk production factory in Giri Community of the Gwagwalada Area Council, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This followed the formal performing of the ground breaking of the factory on Friday, September 23, this year.

Constituency Projects: Melaye rewards 100 communities with boreholes in Kogi West

NaijaAgroNet:

The chairman Senate committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Dino Melaye, has rewarded some 100 communities in his senatorial zone with construction and rehabilitation of over 100 boreholes in the seven Local Government Areas of Kogi West Senatorial District, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Melaye in a statement issued by his media Aide, Mr. Gideon Ayodele, said it was a way to ameliorate the suffering of the people of the constituency in getting assess to portable water supply. 

Melaye said, "Generally, the level of water supply in our communities is poor. The situation is pathetic in the rural areas where water is either scarce or costly when it is available. Many people trek several kilometres every morning and evening in search of water, while others depend on polluted water from ponds, streams, rainwater and floods for domestic use, thereby increasing health hazard."

He further observed that safe water and sanitation remain the essential indicators of sustainable development. 

According to him, the United Nations General Assembly, at its Millennium Meeting in 2000, established eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with targets to be achieved by 2015, with the aim of speeding up poverty alleviation and socio-
economic development. 

The MDGs, he said, were elaborated and endorsed by the intergovernmental community at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. 

He said, "It is strongly believed that water quality management contributes both directly and indirectly to achieving the targets set out in all eight MDGs, although it is most closely tied to specific targets of the goal No. 7 which is to ensure environmental sustainability.

"Adequate water supply is synonymous with development whether it is urban or rural. In the rural areas or in the city peripheries water is either scarce or costly when it is available."

While saying all these informed his determination to work in this direction, Melaye assured the people of Kogi West of his determination to deliver dividends of democracy to their doorsteps.

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Nigerians walk for 2014 World Food Day

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on October 13, 2014 commemorated this year's World Food Day beginning with a sensitization walk around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reports NaijaAgroNet.

The exercise in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) commenced with a walk sensitization to commemorate the activities lined up for this year’s World Food Day in Nigeria began from Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to Federal Secretariat, Abuja.

The Director, Planning and Policy Coordination at the Ministry, Mrs. Rabi Idi Adamu, who stood in for the Honourable Minister, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, told NaijaAgroNet the theme of this year’s World Food Day is “Family Farming: Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth.”

Also, Dr. Akinwumi said that the theme of this year’s World Food Day is apt, because of the roles families play in food production and Agricultural Transformations world over to facilitate food production and Animal Husbandry, especially for the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) which has recorded tremendous strides.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the time table for the activities of this year include a walk sensitization of staff of the Ministry and FAO officials, Ministerial Press briefing, School Debate, Photo/ Book Exhibition, Symposium and Novelty Football March between ATA Bombers and GES Attackers.

 
+RemmyNweke #WorldFoodDay2014 @WorldFoodDay2014 @NaijaAgroNet @DigitalSENSEng @FAO @FMARD #Nigeria
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FCTA boosts farmers with N500m agric loans

The Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide said that the administration  has disbursed over N500 million to farmers under the agriculture loan scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of measures to boost agriculture development and food supply in the territory.

Akinjide made this known to NaijaAgroNet during a visit by the management team of Bank of Agriculture (BOA) led by the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Santuraki, to her office in Abuja and stressed that Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has entered into a public private partnership (PPP) agreement with an Israeli Firm, SEC Equipment, to build an Agriculture Services and Training Centre in Abuja.

She informed the BOA boss, that in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda, the FCTA is committed to the development of viable agricultural entrepreneurship through provision of free technical expertise and farm subsidies and to also make the sector attractive to youths and women.

NaijaAgroNet noted that FCTA would partner with the Bank of Agriculture to grow the agriculture sector and ensured that the Agriculture Services and Training Centre, when completed and operational, would become a one-stop agriculture centre in Nigeria.

Santuraki, explained that the visit by the management team was to strengthen the partnership between the bank and the FCT Administration in the areas of agricultural financing for the benefit of farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs in the capital territory.

“We have noted the giant strides that the Administration is taking to build a virile economy in FCT using agriculture as the foundation. Your effort is most appropriate at this time in the history of Nigeria when agriculture is occupying an important place in the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda,” Santuraki said.

He explained that BOA had granted agriculture loans of over N50 billion to support the agribusiness in the last 10 years, created 6,000 enterprises, six million direct and indirect jobs and added that the bank  is in a better position to manage funds earmarked by FCTA for agricultural development and poverty alleviation in the FCT.

Anthony Nwakaegho/GEE/NaijaAgroNet

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FCT signs MOU for N1.25billion abattoi

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, in an effort to maintain its status as the nation’s capital, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and lease agreement valued at N1.25 billion with a private investor, Capital Meat Processing Company Nigeria Limited, for the establishment of the ultra-modern Abuja Central Abattoir at Tungan Maje in Gwagwalada Area Council of FCT.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the Minister of State for FCT, Mr. Oluyinka Akintunde alongside the Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mrs. Olvadi Bema Madayi signed on behalf of FCT Administration, while Chairman, Capital Meat Processing Company Limited, Umaru Mutallab, and the Chief Executive Officer, Aliyu El-Nafatu, signed for the company.

Akintunde said that the FCT administration decided to embark on the construction of the abattoir by entering into a public-private partnership (PPP) management to ensure that residents of the territory consumed beef in a conducive and hygienic environment.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that the project has a completion period of 12 months and it is expected to create about 1,000 jobs, which will include professionals like veterinarians, para-veterinarians, livestock officers, butchers, technicians, labourers and drivers, among others.

“When completed, the abattoir will have the capacity of slaughtering 500 heads of cattle and 1,500 sheep and goat per day. In the meat processing and fabrication component, about 40 tonnes of meat would be processed into about 10 number of products, such as sausages, hotdogs, steaks, premium and briskets, among others,” she said.
NaijaAgroNet further gathered that the foreign technical partners of the private investor will transfer meat processing technology to their Nigerian partners, who will be trained in the art of processing, curing, aging, fabrication, storage and packaging of meat.
The Minister explained that the new abattoir would be of international standard and will fulfil all the necessary requirements of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in the setting up of abattoir.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Capital Meat Processing Company Limited, Umaru Mutallab applauded the FCT Administration for its commitment to ensuring that a hygienic environment is provided for meat processing in the territory.

 NaijaAgroNet

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