Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Zamfara State government has disclosed plans to partner the Russian government in developing critical sectors of the state’s economy.
Governor Bello Matawalle, made the disclosure to newsmen after meeting the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Alexey L.Shebarshin, at the Russian Embassy in Abuja.
According to him, the meeting focused on improving Agriculture, Solid Minerals Development and Exploration as well as Education and Health of the state.
Matawalle said the partnership was critical to revamping the state’s key sectors and to having foreign investors especially in agriculture and solid minerals.
According to him, the Russians’ expertise in these sectors are well known and would want the same transferred to Zamfara.
Matawalle described Russia as a formidable ally of all nations that desire true and meaningful development.
He, therefore, solicited the partnership of the Russian government in transforming Zamfara State agricultural sector to make it an all-year-round activity, with the greater benefit to the farmers through the deployment of modern farming technology.
On the solid minerals, the governor said that various minerals are available in the state in commercial quantities including gold, uranium, manganese, kaolin, granite, tantalite and zinc and requested the Russian government to come and invest in the state’s solid minerals exploration.
He further said that on education, his government wished to partner the Russian government to provide scholarship to indigenes of the state considering Russia’s reputation of academic excellence globally.
Matawalle, told newsmen he was happy with the positive response from the Russian envoy, who had agreed to assist the state to create wealth.
He said the envoy assured him that his country specialises in minerals exploration and excavation and promised to provide Zamfara State with expertise that would enhance the state’s economy for global marketing.
Matawalle said the Russian ambassador had extended to him an invitation to the upcoming first Russia/African Union Summit holding October 24-25, 2019, which will focus on fostering economic, political and cultural co-operations, where he would have the opportunity to visit one of the biggest Russian gold mining companies transformed by high technology mining equipment.