Niger Government has signed a pact with the Flour Mills of Nigeria to onboard the Company into the state’s Special Agro-industrial Processing zone.
The agreement was signed at the Government House, Minna on Tuesday.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Secretary to the Niger State government, Alh. Abubakar Usman signed on behalf of the Niger government, while Mr John Coumantaros, Chairman, Flour Mills Nigeria, signed for the company.
Speaking on the event, Gov. Mohammed Umaru-Bago explained that the agreement was meant to change the narrative for agriculture sector in the state.
He expressed optimism that the agreement would set a new pace in the development of agriculture and industrialisation in Nigeria at large.
Mr Coumantaros described Niger as a principal agricultural industrial state in Nigeria.
He said the enlistment of the Flour Mills of Nigeria into the Niger State Special Agro-industrial Processing zone was a milestone for the company and the state.
Mr Coumantaros said that a farm without a factory is a weed, and a factory without a farm is a scrap.
He said the union was a good idea that would mark the advancement of agricultural and boost industialisation of the state.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Industries Trade and Investment, Aminu Takuma, had explained that the state government has done all that was required before admitting the Flour Mills of Nigeria into the Special Agro-industrial Processing zone.
He said the African Development Bank had attested to the competence and capacity of Flour Mills of Nigeria to handle the project.
The Commissioner said the bank has promised to build an Agricultural Transformation Centre at Sunti immediately the Flour Mills of Nigeria was included in the Special Agro-industrial Processing zone.
NAN
