FROM SAMSON ALFA, Minna
Niger State governor, Umaru Bago has decried the rate at which African countries rely on food importation.
The governor called on African leaders to take advantage of the potentials that abound in the continent to cut down food importation.
Bago stated this when he met officials of Arab Contractors in Cairo, Egypt, shortly after securing an agreement with the Egyptian giant on agricultural production.
He noted that Africa currently imports $55 billion worth of food and other agricultural products.
He said Niger State has enormous potentials with adequate land and water with over 1,850km of river front land for irrigation and with a youthful population capable of producing 50 million tons of food.
Bago explained that agriculture is the main focus of his administration, thus the need to create Niger food to boost food production.
In his response, the Global Chairman of Arab Contractors, Ahmed Moustafa El Assar promised the governor that he would visit Niger State in May alongside officials of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Irrigation Development to see how to explore areas in agriculture.
