- Partners Abx World for GAP/Standard, Agro Exports
Indications have emerged that the first Global Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certified food processing center in Nigeria maybe established in Anambra state, as the state Governor, Willie Obiano, has approved $150million (one hundred and fifty million dollars) to fund the capital intensive project.
Global GAP is the international organization that assures standard on agricultural practice- of which abx world is the only member from Nigeria.
As gathered, the Project tagged “Ndi Anambra Export Facility Project” is to be completed within the next 12 months and shall be sited in Ogidi, the native home of late literature icon- Chinua Achebe,.
The state government has also secured the partnership deal with abx World for aircraft services and other logistics for the movement of the local process produce to the international market
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of abx world Nigeria Limited, Captain John Okakpu, who confirmed the project agreement signing to newsmen, said Boeing 777 cargo plane has been secured for weekly agro-produce exports to the European markets and others.
He described the partnership as “serious agreement that will positively improve the State’s internally generated revenue, generate employment and means to alleviate poverty noting that when fully completed, the export project will add about N2.75b in IGR to Anambra State yearly and will add well over US$5b of foreign investment to the State’s economy within the next 3 – 4 years if managed by same people that put it together.
Capt Okakpu, the initiator of the project, said, “This facility will provide employment for 1200 in the State and Nigeria in general; will operate 24/7 and have the capacity to produce over 150 ton of products daily.
“His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano has really step up his unstoppable love and caring to ‘Ndi Anambra’ and had shown what leadership ought to be. According to Senator Ben Bruce, please, go to Anambra and borrow a chapter in their book. Anambra is more like a Nation-State, thanks to Willie Obiano’s vision and result oriented policies”.
Captain Okakpu disclosed that the conditioning and food processing center will have two units parallel to each other according to GlobalGAP standard. It will also have a standard NAFDAC/Global GAP chemical, residue, nutritional testing laboratories as well.
“This Center will bring the world much closer to Nigeria in this digital age. It will be built with state of the art cutting modern technology. At full operation, it would have cost about US$150m to build.
“The center will be certified by GlobalGAP on completion as it will be built under their supervision. The first Nigeria. We have them in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Ivory Coast and few other African countries. This facility will be 100% fully Nigeria owned”, he said.
Capt Okakpu further urged the Federal and Other State Governments to key into opportunities in the agriculture sector, saying, “I hate that phrase “beke bu agbara” (the Whites are magicians or sophisticated). We’re “agbara” (sophisticated) too. Don’t belittle yourself in eyes of the world with that slogan ‘You can do it too”’.
“Governor Obiano believes in building institutions not personal legacies and his results so far have proven that. The conditioning/food processing center and export project is one of his signature progammes for ‘ndi Anambra’. It will be in the best interest of the Federal, States and local Governments to embrace opportunities in the Agric sector,” he added.
Similarly, abx world has also made provision for two aircrafts; one Boeing 777 Cargo aircraft going to Europe from Lagos airport weekly. The other aircraft will convey agricultural produce to Lagos from Anambra State through Enugu International airport.
Speaking on why the produce are not airlifted directly from Enugu to Europe, Captain Okakpu said, “Enugu International Airport is not yet certified for EU bound cargo as the scanning and ETD machines are not there.
“The Boeing 777 is too big for Enugu airport. If that aircraft takes off from there (Enugu), it will impact some facilities at the Airport. ETD machine which is used for scanning the EU bound cargo is functional at Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) in Lagos cargo session.”
