Agro Investors, Others Are Welcome – Wike To Belgian Ambassador

FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom has expressed readiness of FCT Administration to partner willing investors in the agriculture sector towards enhancing food security.

Wike who stated this when he received the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt in Abuja, emphasized that Abuja is safe for agro investment, with its vast arable land potential.

He noted that interested investors that could invest in the development of the agro- sector may be giving tax holidays in Abuja.

“But generally we are doing well in terms of security. And you will agree with me that security has tremendously improved.Security agencies are doing well with Mr President’s support. And more so, these high-level kidnappers have been arrested and prosecuted according to law. So we will be happy if we can partner in area of security, that will be very important for us”.

“Again, agriculture is key. Because the largest employer of labour should be agriculture. We have arable land that if we can get partners from Belgium to develop agriculture we will be very happy about that. We don’t mind to give them tax holidays just for the purposes of investment, and then we assure them that the environment will be free for them” Wike said.

Highlighting some efforts of the FCT Administration to improve security of the territory, wike noted that discussions are ongoing with the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General, Department of State Services, and cattle rearers to put an end to the menace of cattles roaming the city centre indiscriminately.

He explained that the administration was carefully managing the situation, since the discussion has not been logically concluded.

“The cattle rearers, If you don’t handle it very well, and considering the situation we are now in this country, we are being very careful, but we are discussing with them to know why we should not allowe that within the city, and we have not been able to conclude.

“And knowing the sensitivity, so we don’t want to rush, but I can tell you that it is not what we want, but believing that the matters will be resolved, and what will be the alternative? Where do you provide for them? so that the cows can be reared there” Wike noted.

On making transportation safe in the FCT, Wike explained that the FCT Administration had recently inaugurated and licensed a private sector affordable, secured smart buses for residents to stem the tide of One Chance in the territory.

The FCT Minister also hinted that the Abuja Metroline has attained 95℅ completion to be inaugurated in May this year for public use to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.

“President Bola Tinubu directed that whatever can be done, should be done, so that in his one year in office, the light rail will come on board for the use of the residents.The people can use it going out of the city, going to the airport and other area councils, and instead of going with their vehicles they can take the train”.

“I can announce to you that we are almost there. The company handling the project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is almost 95 per cent completed.By the grace of God, we believe that in May, Mr President will inaugurate it,” the minister said.

Earlier, Ambassador Pieter Leenknegt, who expressed concern over cattles roaming the streets of Abuja, and sought to know what the Administration was doing on security and transportation, commended Wike for spearheading discussions that may bring lasting solutions to the ugly trend of cattle obstructing free flow of movement on the streets.

Leenknegt also expressed interest in getting development partners from his country to invest in the FCT.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji