Agric minister welcomes new minister of state

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has expressed delight over the appointment of Hajiya Asmau Ahmed, as Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The minister, in a statement signed by the director, Information and Protocol, Mr. Tony Ohaeri, said his confidence in the new minister of state comes from his knowledge of her as special adviser on investment to the executive governor of Niger state before her current appointment.

Dr. Adesina are recalled that he first met Mrs. Ahmed during his tour to Niger state and was instantly convinced that Niger State was lucky to have a woman with her wealth of experience in business and investment advising the state government, at a time when Nigeria earnestly yearns to run agriculture as business.

He further said that he during his two years in the ministry, he has been involved in a concerted effort to address malnutrition in the country, with a firm belief that the solution lies in producing high energy foods in the country, since the foodstuff needed to produce it was in abundance in the country.

He also said that a lot of mileage has been gained in forging a strong partnership with agribusinesses in and outside Nigeria, as well as with UNICEF, to set up production facilities to make the country a hub for high energy foods for local consumption and for export, he has no doubt that Mrs. Ahmed has come to the Ministry at the right moment.

Dr. Adesina also said that since the minister of state comes from a state government and knows how the state establishment works, she is going to serve as a lunch pin in strengthening the partnership between the federal and state governments to drive the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

In her response to the minister’s welcome address, the new minister of state, Hajiya Asabe Ahmed, said that having met the minister earlier during his tour of Niger state a few months ago, with a firsthand knowledge of his passion for running agriculture as business, she knew she would hit the ground running as minister of state for agriculture.

She used the occasion to solicit support of all Nigerians to support the federal government’s quest to achieve food security for Nigerians, as well as create jobs and wealth through agriculture.