FCT minister Muhammad Bello has expressed the determination of the FCT administration to continue to support FCT-Leventis Centre for Integrated Agricultural Development and Training.
Chief Press Secretary to the minister, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said Bello gave the assurance when he paid a working visit to the centre managed by the Leventis Foundation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that FCT-Leventis Centre for Integrated Agricultural Development, located at Yaba in Kwali Area Council, trains young Nigerians in modern agricultural practices.
The minister, who alluded to an agricultural revolution in the country, said Nigeria was now self-sufficient in a number of grains and had potential to be self-sufficient on many things.
“We will work with you closely because what you are doing here is great and it is going to be the foundation of what we all stand for, especially our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, who always says we have to eat what we grow and we have to grow what we eat.
“If you look at the environment here, you have enough facilities to be able to provide fruits and vegetables for the entire Abuja city, ” Bello said.
The minister suggested that the school should enrol more students, noting that the centre was established to teach and develop youths, men and women from the six Area Councils and other parts of the country.
“So, I think we have to think of tripling the number of people we have here because there are so many people who need the support,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman, Leventis Foundation Nigeria, Ahmed Manteh, had said that the foundation would continue to work to promote sustainability in agriculture and food production beyond thorough training, offered by the organisation in sustainable agriculture.
“Our approach has been to attract youths into agriculture and equip them with the necessary skills for producing food and for earning a sustainable livelihood.
“The presence of the minister at the school is a clear demonstration of his commitment to youth development, grassroots empowerment as well as poverty alleviation,” he said.
The chairman assured the minister of the foundation’s dedication to providing quality training in agricultural businesses for people in the FCT.
He commended Bello for exemplary leadership as demonstrated by the rehabilitation of the bridge at Ashara Wako and the road improvement works as well as ensuring that the counterpart funds that were due to the training institute were duly paid.
The minister, who was in the company of the Permanent Secretary and other senior officials of the FCTA, took an extensive tour of the centre.