By Angeline Mgbele, Bureau Chief, North

The Kebbi State Government has handed over ten hectares of land to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for the establishment of Agricultural Machinery Development Institute (AMEDI) today in Birni Kebbi, north west, Nigeria.

This is borne in a press statement esigned by the Director, Information at NASENI, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan.

Cyber Era NG learns that this was in line with the Federal Government’s directive that the six geopolitical zones in the country should host one AMEDI each.

The document of the 10 hectares of land situated along Birnin Kebbi-Argungu road was handed over to the Executive Vice Chairman /CEO of the Agency Mr Khalil Suleiman Halilu by the Permanent Secretary of Kebbi State Cabinet Office, Alhaji Dahiru Zaki.

The Permanent Secretary led a delegation of Kebbi State Government officials including the Perm Sec, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Alhaji Abukar Ahmed; Representative of Perm Sec, Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Adamu Dankawu; Special Adviser, Special Duties to the Governor, Alhaji Shafiu Zauro and the representative of the District Head of Zauro, (the host community) to the event.

Kebbi State got the nod of the Federal Government because of its vast arable land in rice production and other farm produce among the seven states of the North-West geopolitical zone.

The handing over of the land documents was done on the permanent site of the proposed institute. NASENI’s Director of Procurement, Dr. Mohammed Mohammed, received the documents on behalf of the EVC /CEO of the Agency.

Alhaji Zaki said that Kebbi State people are grateful to the Federal Government for citing the Institute in the state saying it will accelerate development and create job opportunities for the teeming youths in the state. He added that Kebbi State was chosen as the site of the new AMEDI due to its agrarian capacity in rice production and other cash crops.

He added that, ”This land was earmarked by the state government in the last two years for allocation to NASENI for establishment of AMEDI. We are the leading producer of rice and so many other crops and that is what informed the decision to site this project in Kebbi state.”

Speaking on behalf of the EVC/CEO of NASENI, Dr. Mohammed appreciated Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State for giving NASENI the land at a strategic location along Airport road in Birnin Kebbi to start building the Institute. He said the project would commence immediately as the EVC/CEO has put all the necessary machinery in place.