Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja
Livestock Development Minister, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has urged Ecogold company, manufacturers of animal fattening products, to establish a factory in Nigeria as a matter of urgency inorder to boost animal feeds in the country.
The Minister made the demand when the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ecogold Company, Mr Martins Nwaege, and his team paid him a working visit in his office in Abuja thursday.
According to a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Ben Bem Goong, the minister disclosed that the Ministry was working towards transforming the livestock sector through the construction of modern abbatoirs, massive pasture cultivation, feedlots for animal fatterning, ranches, and massive animal health coverage among others.
While assuring Ecogold Company of partnership with the Ministry, the Minister tasked the company to establish a factory in Nigeria in order to reduce import dependency on animal fattening products.
According to Maiha, Nigeria is currently spending millions of dollars on the importation of animal feeds.
“Let us leverage on this and see what we can come up with”…..the Minister maintained.
He also added, ” We want to partner with you,we want to ensure that the product goes nationwide.
The Honourable Minister equally advised ECOGOLD to organize stakeholder engagements to enable the Company to promote the products effectively and efficiently.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Martins Nwaege assured the Minister that the proposed Nigeria feed factory would come on stream within two years, adding that he will use Nigeria as a pilot country and later move to other African countries.
Nwaege stressed that the initiative will create job opportunities for women and youths in the country.
The CEO emphasized that the product has been certified by the National animal production research institute NAPRI.
