Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
Gov.Aregbesola

The proposed first-ever in Africa Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 Agricultural Exhibition and Conference has continued to receive support from institutions in Nigeria.

Two Federal Ministers in Nigeria, Dr. Audu Ogbeh, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Prof Isaac Adewole, Honourable Minister of Health have sent written endorsements to give support for the organization of Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 to the Executive Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and the organiser of the programme, Fesco Agalu Enterprises Nigeria Limited.

Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 which had earlier scheduled to hold in March has been shifted to a later date because of reasons which the organisers said are to put in place a world class event that will stand the test of time.

Agrictech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 is the first Nigeria’s largest Exhibition and Conference on agriculture, farm machineries, dairy, poultry, water technology, livestock equipment, agriculture processing technologies and environmental control.

According to Mrs Funmilayo Oni, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017, “we have to rescheduled this event due to some circumstances beyond our control, most especially the absence of our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari who was away in London for health reason. The President was supposed to declare the programme opened due to its importance to the present administration’s diversification policy. Another reason we rescheduled the date was that we had a planned trip to Israel to finalise the engagement of our international partners and exhibitors for the programme. This we are going to do any moment from now because it is very important to what are planning to do.

“Concerning the endorsements and supports from our Ministers, Chief Audu Ogbeh wrote in his letter and I quote that ‘the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is in support of the event, given its timeliness and appropriateness. We will endeavour to attend the event and collaborate with the organiser for a successful outcome.’

“On his part, the Minister of Health, Prof Adewole, who we are proud to have as a father to us, commended the great vision of the Governor of the State of Osun for his plan to bring together stakeholders in the agriculture ecosystem to create linkages and visibility to solutions that can ensure viability of agriculture value chain.”

Adewole also said in his letter that “Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 is pertinent to us given cross-sectoral nature of nutrition which remains at the fore of health issue in our country.”

The Minister of Health assured the government of the State of Osun and the organiser of his ministry’s support and partnership, adding that “in pursuit of this, I have put together a team that may work closely with Your Excellency’s team” to achieve the objectives of the programme.

It was gathered that Governor Aregbesola has already constituted a team comprises of some top officials of his government and that of the organiser of Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017, Fesco Agalu Enterprises Nigeria Limited, and a letter to this effect has been communicated to the Honourable Minister of Health. It was also gathered that an inaugural meeting of both the teams from Governor Aregbesola and that of Minister of Health will soon meet to kick start preparation ahead of a new date which may likely be in May this year.

Mrs Oni, however, disclosed that the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) in Ibadan, Oyo State after a closed scrutiny of Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017, had through its Director General, Prof Victor Adeyeye, wrote to the organiser that NISER is strongly in support of the programme and it is ready to collaborate with the organiser for a successful organization of the event. She said NISER will also present a position paper during the event.

“As the socio-economic think tank of the Federal Government of Nigeria, NISER said it will endeavour to attend and present a position paper during the exhibition and conference. The Development Agenda For Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission based in Ibadan, Oyo State, has also given its support to the event as it was the belief of the Commission that Agrictech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 should be an event that will not only benefit the State of Osun but the entire South West region of the country.

“The plan of DAWN Commission is to galvanize the support of all the stakeholders in the region for the programme, “ She said.

Mrs Oni said the programme is being organized by Fesco Agalu Enterprises Nigeria in conjunction with an Israeli company, Kenes Exhibition, which is bringing its 19 years experience in the organization of Agritech Israel to bear on Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017.

According to her, high level talks with top officials of the Israeli Embassy in Nigeria are going on for the Embassy to give its public endorsement and support to Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 as soon as the organiser has returned from the trip to Israel.

“With over 700,000 people who include exhibitors (local and international), visitors (local and international) and foreign investors and others such as buyers, key decision makers, policy heads and agricultural development executives in world economy, big private sector players in agriculture, consultants, banks and financial institutions in agribusiness, I think the government and the people of Osun will savour the gains of Agritech Nigeria Osogbo 2017 for a very long time, ” said Mrs Oni, a retired federal civil servant.

 

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