The Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, has assured Indonesian Government of robust partnership beneficial to both Nigeria and Indonesia.
The governor disclosed this while receiving Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria on a courtesy at Government House, Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.
He said: “My administration will continue to partner with Indonesia in the area of livestock production, agriculture, mining and other sectors of the economy.
“This partnership will be beneficial to both countries. Let me assure you that we are always ready for partnership in training and retraining of our people in different spheres of the economy.”
The governor pledged to do everything possible to strengthen the bilateral ties to boost skills and knowledge transfer in different sectors of the economy.
Earlier, the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Usra Hendra Harahap, said the delegation was in Kebbi to further strengthen partnership between Kebbi and Indonesian Government following the visit of Gov. Idris to Indonesia recently.
Harahap said their visit was also to further consolidate on the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Nigeria and Kebbi in particular.
“This visit aims boost the earlier collaboration between the Kebbi government and Indonesian government on artificial insemination and embryo transfer.
“This collaboration seeks to establish state-of-the-art reading facilities, development fund, milk and meat processing unit, implement sustainable pasture system and significantly improve milk and meat production by 60 per cent and 40 per cent respectively within five years.”
The ambassador expressed the readiness of his country to assist Nigeria achieve self-sufficiency in animal production and agriculture in general, adding that it would enhance livestock productivity and genetic improvement significantly benefiting the agricultural sector in Kebbi.
He noted that the proposed technical cooperation in artificial insemination and embryo transfer “reflect our self commitment to impacting on agriculture productivity and capacity building.
“Our premier objective is to achieve self-sufficiency in meat and milk production and processing. We are also increasing technical capacity in assisting with reproductive technologies for the benefit of all African sub-region.”
While assuring that both nations stand to gain from the partnership, the ambassador prayed that the collaboration would be taken to the highest level for the benefit of all.
Tracing the relationship between Nigeria and Indonesia to 1965, Harahap said Indonesia was ready to establish a centre in Kebbi under the Federal Ministry of Animal Health and Fishery.
According to him. the artificial insemination centre will play a vital role in fostering technical operation for artificial insemination and embryo transfer in Kebbi.
He said as a public service agency, the centre would focus on the production, marketing, testing and monitoring of livestock, covering semen quality, while strengthening artificial insemination method.
