Kebbi State Governor and the Chairman APC Progressive Governors Forum Chairman, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has given an assurance that the federal government will be very supportive in ensuring the realisation of the West African region’s quest to achieve socio – economic development especially on food security.
The Kebbi governor stated this over the weekend when he hosted participants from Benin, Niger and Nigeria including Ecowas officials to a befitting dinner at Government House Birnin Kebbi who were in the state for a week-long conference on pastoralism.
Bagudu expressed profound gratitude on behalf of the Government and good people of Kebbi State to the delegates, affirming President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to foster harmonious working relationships with Nigeria’s neighbors particularly in West Africa in order to harness resources to develop agriculture for the benefit of the continent.
“President Muhammad Buhari is very supportive of Nigeria working with neighboring countries to support each other. So that we can mobilize our populace whether they are farmers, pastoralists or fishing communities so that we will all do better together.
“Nigeria will work with Benin and Niger in Agriculture,” he assured.
According to the governor, the meeting on Pastoralism which is being held in Kebbi was an important milestone for both the state and Ecowas and would be happy with the development to work with pastoralists, philanthropists and other stakeholders to develop the sector which is calling for attention in the region.
The progressive Governors Forum Chairman reiterated that for Ecowas to continue to thrive, every country must be included.
He assured that all the resolutions reached at the end of the tripartite meeting of the three countries, would be taken to the highest level for implementation.
Earlier, Mr. Sekou Sangare, who is the Ecowas Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Governor of Dosso,Niger Republic, Alhaji Assoumana Ahmadou and the Governor of Alibori in Benin Republic, Ky-Samah Bello all appreciated the warm hospitality they received from Government and people of Kebbi State.
They congratulated the Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and the entire people of Nigeria on the country’s 61st independence anniversary
They were fascinated with the rice fields, agro processing activities, Rice mills, women in agriculture on their visit to Argungu rice farms as well as courtesy visit to the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera.
They expressed satisfaction with the developmental strides of the governor evenly spread across the state particularly in agriculture and called on governor Bagudu to extend such cooperation to their countries so that the feat achieved in Kebbi particularly in rice value chain and livestock production could be replicated in their countries.
They called for closer ties to deal with issues challenging Pastoralism, livestock, trans human and cross border cooperation while at the same time called for concrete action to deal with insecurity bedeviling the sub region.