By John Ikani
Jos the capital city of Plateau State, Nigeria is set to host the 1st International Potato Value Chain Expo and other root crops summit.
According to a statement issued by the MD/CEO of International Potato Value-Chain and Root Crops Conference and Exhibition, Mr Ambrose Okojie, the expo will be held at Crispan Hotel and Event Centre, Rayfield, Jos on Thursday, November 18, 2021.
Okojie who revealed that the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, is the chief host, added that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, will deliver the keynote address of the event.
He went on to note that a wide spectrum of stakeholders in the root crops value chain, including farmers from Plateau State are attending the programme.
It would be recalled that the event was earlier scheduled to hold September 14 to 16, 2021 but was shifted to November 18, due to the sudden crises in Jos.
The Presidency had on September 23, 2021, threw its weight behind the staging of the expo.
The expo did also court support from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha who promised to physically attend the event.
Mustapha was quoted in a statement issued through the Permanent Secretary in the office of the SGF on Political and Economy, Andrew David as saying: “The federal government will support the expo because it is in line with the economic diversification of Nigeria’s economy.”
Asides Mustapha, organisers of the event, ABG Paulas Resources Limited has revealed that other speakers at the event include the Managing Director of NIRSAL, Aliyu Abdulahammed; the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Prof. Garba Sharubutu; and member Board of Directors, Inova Capital Ag, Switzerland, Prince Henry Erimodafe.
Others expected at the event are the General Manager Grimme, Germany, Frank Noddmann; Ulf Zell, a German International Management Consultant; Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador Tuggar; Dr. Franz-Georg Von Busse, Company Rep Pottinger, Austria; and the Chief Executive officer and Managing Director of Riela, Prof. Karl-Heinz Knoop.
