By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Following the call by President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration for diversification of the economy, the New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC) has signed a strategic alliance agreement with Haske and Williams Limited to identify, develop and implement opportunities pertaining to agriculture in the Northern region.
Chairman of NNDC, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu disclosed at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ceremony in Kaduna on Wednesday, April 4, 2018.
According to him, the agreement is another significant milestone recorded by NNDC Ltd in its quest to develop agriculture in the region which is one of the major priority areas of its current Strategic Development Plan.
“It would be recalled that NNDC recently registered and promoted a commodity marketing company – the New Nigeria Commodity Marketing Company Limited (NNCMC) – which is an agricultural storage and marketing company.
“It also recently recapitalized NNIL Commercial Company Limited which is involved in the supply and marketing of agricultural implements and inputs, inter alia.
“With the signing of this Agreement, NNDC Ltd is now poised to commence real agricultural produce productions and developments,” he said.
In his own remarks, Chairman of Haske and Williams Ltd, Alhaji Abdullahi Bashir said it is very unfortunate that northern Nigeria has a vast area of land for agricultural usage but has not been put into use. He however said with the signing of the agreement the north is about to witness a revolution in the sector.
He added that agriculture is a venture for young people not old people as being insinuated, therefore the youth should take interest in participating in the sector.
Similarly, the Chief Executive Officer of Haske and Williams Ltd, Mr. Oladipo Williams thanked NNDC for the trust repost on his organization.
He said his organization is a major player in the agricultural sector with Integrated Rice Farm in Adamawa and Kwara States. He assured management of NNDC of his company’s willingness to operate in line with the signed memorandum of understanding.
Haske & Williams Ltd is an agribusiness development company focused on identifying and developing opportunities in Nigeria’s agricultural space with a view to harnessing the country’s natural endowments for the development of industrial scale agricultural projects that can contribute to the diversification of the Nigerian economy and provide socioeconomic advancement for the host communities where the projects are located.