By Asmau Ahmad
The Chinese Government has delivered a China-aid Nigeria Agricultural Demonstration Centre project to the Nigeria Government worth RMB 44,100,000 equivalents to N2.8 billion as contribution to the further development of the country’s agricultural sector.
The project was donated by the Ministry of Commerce China and handed over to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Nigeria.
Mr Cui Jianchun, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria who handed over the project said that the demonstration centre is one that will not only provide opportunities to farmers, government officials but also deepen and broaden the two countries’ relationship.
“The Chinese government is handing over this project to support Nigeria to develop a more modernized agricultural sector because our people believe that a technology driven agriculture industry really means a lot.
“Nigeria has great potential for agricultural development and there is a need for machines, technology among others to achieve it.
“We believe in this country and the project is very important not only for Nigeria but for the whole African continent,” he said.
Cui added that Nigerian’s security, electricity, agriculture and food security among others are some of the important sectors that he is interested in their development.
“My biggest interest here in Nigeria is first security, we are working with Nigerian military sectors and law enforcement and we try to see the ways we can to improve the current situation.
“We’ve also done a lot in electricity and now we are moving to the agricultural sector.
“Last July I presented my strategy, called the Nigeria-China 5g GDP strategy and today I am proud to share with you the 5g; political and economic cooperation, military and security collaboration, international affairs coordination and people to people communication.
“We have achieved a lot in the infrastructure, ICT, industry, investment and import export from the Ogun State and Lagos foreign trade zone and Edo state we have a lot of industrial parks and first trade zone there.
“After my visit to those States, I found out that we are blooming and boosting this industry in Nigeria, we have delivered a tangible result to the people of Nigeria and also deepened and broadened the cooperation between the two countries,” Cui said.
The ambassador further added that China has accomplished the first step of its centenary goal last year which is the eradication of extreme poverty and building a moderately prosperous society and look forward support Nigeria in ending theirs.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, commended the Chinese government for their support and noted that China and Nigeria share a long-standing friendship.
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clement Agba, expressed immense gratitude for the laudable project on behalf of the Nigerian government.
He said that the project is coming at a time when the present administration is working to improve Nigeria’s capacity on agriculture to meet with international standards.
The project is located at CGCOC Agricultural High-Tech Abuja Industrial Park in Bwari District Abuja includes agricultural technology training centre, Agricultural Technology Research and Service Centre,
An Agro-Input and Machinery Exhibition, Small Scale Agro-Processing Technology Exhibition Centre, Power Centre, Photovoltaic Pump Water-saving Irrigation System, Farmland Demonstration Area around the dam as well as access road.
The project covers an area of 31.38 hectares with a total of 3, 551 square meters for each building and about 20,000 square meters for the accessory road of the park and the supporting construction works at elevated area on both sides of the dam.
