The Rice Processors Association of Nigeria, (RPAN) has declared its support for the Minister of Agriculture Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in his bid to become the next president of African Development Bank, saying Africa needs a strong, focused and experienced person like him.
Chairman of the association, Muhammed Abubakar, while speaking with journalists said This will be the best thing for Africa, I have not discussed this with him, but I am sure that he is going to fight hunger, head-on, and that would help Africa a lot.
“Africa needs a strong, focused and experienced person like him, so that he can concentrate on agriculture, some other continent developed to where they are today due to prospects in their agricultural sector.”
While speaking on the state of local rice processing in the country, he said “Processing cost is high, there is no electricity and cost of transportation makes our production cost a little bit higher, however, the goods that you see in the market, especially the Rice that you feel is cheaper than ours, I assure you they are smuggled Rice that comes through Cotonou, but if they bring the Rice through the proper channel and pay the normal duty, it cannot be cheaper than local production, maybe they will be at par.
“Without this minister, all these developments wouldn’t have been possible, whatever we are able to achieve in Rice production in the country even in the next 50 years, Adesina initiated it and we will be grateful to him, the process put in place by the federal ministry of Agriculture should be continued.”