The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has tasked Nigerians to entrench ethnic and religious tolerance in their domains to foster peace and unity in the country, following the spate of insecurity confronting the nation.
Buhari gave the charge on Sunday at the end of a two-day official visit to Nasarawa State for an inspection of the ongoing construction works at the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute, Lafia, which began on August 1, 2022.
The President who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, said the Federal Government decided to build the AMEDI, Lafia because of its commitment to the development of agriculture and to guaranty food security across the nation.
He expressed confidence that the agricultural institute which is being built by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, will in no distant time emerge as a centre of excellence which would enable Nigeria to become a hub for agro-allied technologies.
He said, “I am urging all Nigerians to always tolerate each other, embrace one another and work towards the peace, unity and development of the country. We should entrench ethnic and religious tolerance so as to achieve a common goal of making our country great.
“I want to commend the Executive Vice-Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Professor Mohammed Sani-Haruna, for the work he has been doing across the country. I also want to thank the Nasarawa State Government for all the support they have given us since the project commenced.
“It is a good pleasure for me to be here physically. The groundbreaking ceremony was done in August, now I am here to see the tremendous progress that has been made since that time, and By God’s grace, AMEDI Lafia will be commissioned before the end of this administration.”
Our correspondent reports that the president’s representative, Gambari, was bestowed with the traditional title of Zanna Yawu Dima of Lafian Bare-Bari, meaning the “Defender of the Dynasty” by the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (retd).
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Vice-Chairman of NASENI, Sani-Haruna, said the establishment of AMEDI, Lafia was one of the six AMEDI’s approved by Buhari in 2021 to guaranty food security in the country.
He added that the establishment of the AMEDI Lafia is also to ensure the use of modern tools and equipment for mechanised agriculture and technology for food processing, food preservation, application of food availability and artificial intelligence for efficient multi-crop seasons.
He mentioned the locations of the six AMEDI’s approved by the president to include Nasarawa State – North Central geo-political zone, Adamawa State – North East geo-political zone, Kebbi State – North West geo-political zone, Cross River State – South South geo-political zone, Imo State – South East geo-political zone and Osun State for the South West geo-political zone.
“Although, the volume of rain in September to October affected the speed of the construction work, we have been able to fence the twenty hectares of land and constructed the gate house, the admin block, and the two workshops are about ninety percent complete with road networks in progress.
“NASENI is collaborating with partners from Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan, Czech Republic and Italy to equip this institute and the other five agricultural machinery and equipment development institute with state of the art research and manufacturing facilities, targeting the best and the highest technology in the world,” Sani-Haruna added.
While expressing gratitude to Buhari, his Chief of Staff, Gambari, Governor Abdullahi Sule and the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (Retd), for thier efforts towards ensuring food security in Nasarawa State and the country at large, the NASENI Executive Vice-Chairman said the needed machines in the AMEDI Lafia will soon be available and the institute will be inaugurated in January 2023.
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