From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) has appointed German firm ABG Paulas International as its Consultant in the Diaspora to boost food security.
The appointment followed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the two parties yesterday in Abuja.
ARCN Executive Secretary, Prof Garba Sharabutu and the Director Administration ARCN, Dr Edeki Enesi, signed for the Council, while the Managing Director of ABG Paulas, Mr Ambrose Okojie, and the Executive Director of the international organisation, Chief Charles Ozoemena, signed for the Nigerian- German-based firm.
In his address in Abuja, Prof Sharabutu explained that the appointment of ABG Paulas was in sync with some of the mandates of the Council, which authorised ARCN to seek international collaborators in sourcing for funding and international relationships that can advance research in agriculture and achieve food security for the country.
‘We are seeking the assistance of International Consultants because as a corporate entity, we cannot on our own begin to go from one place or the other to seek for funds.
‘The best we can do is to write proposals and send them to donor agencies, or where we cannot reach out, we seek the collaboration of consultants to assist us to source for funding.
‘This is why we sought to collaborate with ABG Paulas International, Germany for them to assist us.
‘ABG Paulas International is very experienced in that area. They have studied the situation in Nigeria and they felt as Nigerians they have a responsibility to contribute their own quota in advancing Agriculture in Nigeria.
‘Based on a protracted discussion and negotiation with them and haven studied their profile and have established the fact that they are highly reliable and competent to assist us, we have considered it as very very useful to partner with them,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Ambrose Okojie, said that the desire of ABG Paulas is to support the Federal Government, using agriculture not only to achieve food security but also create massive jobs that would stop the growing exodus of Nigerian youth who risk their lives to trek across the Sahara Deserts to the Mediterranean Sea on their way to Europe in search of better opportunities.
Charles Ozoemena assured the Management of ARCN of the commitment of the company to deliver on all the promises made by the Nigerian German firm, in accordance with the spirit and principles of the MoU signed.
