… Receives French Embassy, Ethiopian Devt. Sovereignty Officials
Fresh from his prestigious award as Governor of the Year by Thisday Newspapers, Akwa Ibom State Governor has reiterated his administration’s readiness to partner with groups and individuals to fully actualize the ARISE Agenda.
In his separate remarks, while receiving the Chargé d’Affaire of the French Embassy in Abuja, Jean-François Hasperue, and the Development Sovereignty Group-Ethiopia, the Governor said the ARISE Agenda is an acronym for Agricultural Revolution, Rural Development, Infrastructural Maintenance, Security Management and Educational Advancement which has 17 thematic areas.
He expressed optimism that with the ARISE Agenda and the thematic areas including tourism, the State will continue to move in a positive developmental trajectory.
The Governor said beyond other areas of interest, the State will appreciate partnerships in the area of agriculture, especially in the rural areas.
He explained some of the efforts of the State Government, especially the Ibom Model Farm which is in partnership with Songhai Farm. Port Novo, adding that the State intends to have some farm settlements and will appreciate partners for their actualization.
The Governor also said the government would appreciate partnership in the area of health and renewable energy, adding that the State is building primary health centres and has launched a state-wide insurance scheme, to ensure a healthy population.
He appreciated the French Embassy, and the Development Sovereignty Group for their visit, and interest in the State, and assured that the State was willing to engage in productive partnership to fulfill the ambitious plans of the ARISE Agenda.
Earlier, Monsieur Jean-François Hasperue of the French Embassy said their visit was on the invitation of Ibom Air to explore ways of working together, and that his country was equally interested in other areas of partnership and funding to strengthen the relationship with Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State in particular.
Hasperue who was accompanied by Monsieur Martin Folliasson, listed different areas of French investments in Africa including SPIE, Michelin, Moet Hennessy, Big, Airbus, and others, saying Nigeria accounts for 60% of French Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa.
On its part, the team lead for Development Sovereignty Group, Ms. Safia Boly, the Executive Director of the African Agricultural Transformation Initiative (AATI), said the visit was to explore possible areas where they could support the state’s drive for agricultural revolution.
Boly who was accompanied by Dr. Khalid Bomba, MD, DSG, and Mr. Orion Hailemichael, commended the State Government for the audacious development blueprint, the ARISE Agenda, and shared experiences of work done in other countries in the areas of agricultural transformation, and assured that if adopted, could make a meaningful impact in the sector.
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