Business
Stakeholders Want Completion Of 25,000 Silos
Stakeholders in Anambra State have urged the Federal Government to complete the 25,000-tonne silo complex located in Igbariam, among others still under construction in various parts of the country.
A survey by The Tide source revealed that the agrarian Igbariam community in Anambra East Local Government Area hosts the largest farm settlement in the South-East zone.
According to our source, 10 gigantic silo cones of 2,500-tonne each had been erected while the necessary fittings inside the silos had yet to be fitted.
However, other structures meant for support services for the silo complex had reached 70 per cent completion.
The site foreman for Mecca Nigeria Ltd, the company handling the project, Mr Vincent Umeh, said that the project had been under construction for over two years because it was being executed in phases.
Umeh attributed the delay in the completion of the project to paucity of funds.
He said, “As you can see, about 70 per cent of the work had been done on all the structures as well as the 25,000-tonne capacity silos; I believe the work would be completed soon.
“We are always on ground to continue but you know the issue of funding by phases of work done is affecting the straight completion of the project.
“It is primarily meant for grain storage as the temperature of the silos would be artificially modulated to preserve grains.”
The Anambra State Government had recently constructed a road linking the Onitsha-Enugu Road, the silo complex and the farm settlement area in the community.
Umeh urged the government agency supervising the project to push for its completion due to its socio-economic and agricultural benefits to the people of the area and Nigerians in general.
Similarly in Kano, a silo under construction in Gaya Local Government area of Kano State, had yet to be completed, an official said.
Acting Federal Director in the state, Alhaji Adamu Muhammed, said ”The Federal Government has only one silo in Kano State, which is yet to be completed.”
He said when completed, the silo, located behind the local government Secretariat, would store 25,000 tonnes of grains.
The ministry had commenced the training of farmers on post-harvest preservation of produce, he added.
According to him, the training is aimed at refreshing the minds of farmers on the importance of local silos, with a view to making the best use of it.
He said, “For now, there is no measure in place to prevent post-harvest losses except the normal traditional way of storing farm produce in most parts of the north, especially in rural areas.
“Local silos are still being used for storing large quantities of farm produce, especially in the rural areas.”
Meanwhile, in Katsina, the Federal Director of Agriculture in the state, Dr Abdu Aminu, has advised farmers to package grains for storage inside air tight sacks, to prevent insect infestation.
Aminu said that grains being stored for a long time should not be stored in sacks that allowed air passage.
He said that the ministry would continue to enlighten farmers on modern storage methods because poor food storage was one of the greatest challenges of agriculture in Nigeria.
The director noted that the 250,000-tonne capacity silo located in Dutsin-ma local government area of the state was not yet functional.
Aminu added that the silo was for the storage of grains such as maize, guinea corn and millet.
He said the government purchased grains from farmers during glut to provide a Guaranteed Minimum Price and prevent post-harvest losses.
In Lokoja, our source learnt that construction work on the 25,000-tonne silo had been completed.
Consultant to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the project, Mr Isaac Ogwuche, told newsmen that completion of the project was delayed due to paucity of funds.
He, however, said the challenge had been overcome.
Ogwuche said that the silo was designed for the storage of grains only.
In Ilorin, the Silos Manager, Kwara Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Atofarati Usman, also said the 25-tonne facility was functional.
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.
Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.
By: Chinedu Wosu
Chivita| Hollandia (CHI Limited) leading fruit juice and value-added dairy manufacturer in Nigeria has rewarded its long standing distributors at the recently held 2024 Distributor Conference. The event with the theme, “Break Boundaries Exceed Expectations” served as a platform to recognise and reward the exceptional contribution of the distributors and wholesalers who play a critical role in Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) success and business goals for the year.
The Distributor Conference was held in two sessions. While the morning session featured keynote addresses, industry insights and brand immersion experience, the evening session was a cultural display of elegance and funfair that culminated in the award presentation and recognition of the contribution the trade partners made to the company in the 2023 year under review.
A key highlight of the event was the award ceremony which acknowledged outstanding trade partners in various regions across the country. The awards recognized commitment, dedication, and outstanding performance in areas of sales growth, brand promotion, and market expansion.
Eelco Weber, Managing Director, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), stated that the company’s success story is incomplete without the strong partnerships it has built with trade partners. “Today, we celebrate not only the achievements, but the collaborative spirit that has made our growth possible” he said.
Bola Arotiowa, Chief Commercial Officer, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), in his statement revealed that, the event which was first of its kind will continue to be an annual meeting to enable the company work more closely with its distributors, share insights and action points, help the trade partners familiarize themselves with the company’s goals and objectives for each year, and serve as a driver for mutual success.
“Our distributors are the backbone of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited). Their relentless efforts in distributing our products, promoting our brands, and expanding our reach across the nation is truly commendable. As the bridge between us and our valued consumers, it is very important to reward their hard work and dedication for being an essential part of the Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) family. Together, we will continue to deliver great products to our conusmers which in turn will deliver value to them”, Mr. Arotiowa added.
Speaking at the conference, HajiyaBilikisuSaida, Chief Executive Officer of Smabirm Nigeria Limited, who won the Outstanding Distributor of the Year in North 1 region, and got a reward of two million Naira worth of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) products expressed delight at the company’s recognition, and stated that the awards served as a way to inspire distributors to do more and put in more effort, which in turn would help both the distributors and the company to grow.
Other outstanding performance distributors of the year rewarded with a two million Naira worth of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) stock include, Sunny Chuks Limited for East 1 region, MRS FA & Sons Limited for East 2 region, Hussakas Ventures for North 2 region, Rookee 1388 Ventures for Lagos 1 region, Pik N Pil Ventures for Lagos 2 region, FaithJoe Event Management Limited for West 1 region, and Progress Family Nigeria Enterprise for West 2 region.
The annual Distributors Conference aims to strengthen the bond between Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited) and its trade partners. This collaborative approach fosters mutual growth and ensures the continued success of the brands in the Nigerian market.
A global leader in insurance and asset management, AXA Mansard, has supported three female-owned MSMEs with business grants totaling 1.4 million to boost their operations.
This, the company said, is part of its commitment to women and the Medium, Small, and Medium-scale Enterprise (MSME) sector in the country.
The three businesses were successful at the International Women’s Day Pitch Competition, organised in partnership with SME 100 Africa in Lagos.
According to the Head of Marketing, AXA Mansard, Olusesan Ogunyooye, the competition, which is aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs in Nigeria, “is another way AXA is demonstrating its commitment to the causes of women and stimulating the MSME sector in Nigeria”.
The business pitch competition received numerous entries from women across different sectors, but after a rigorous selection process, shortlisted participants were selected to participate in the competition.
Ogunyooye said “the programme provided a unique opportunity for women from various works and socio-economic classes to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions in sectors such as food, tech, fashion, and fragrance, creating an atmosphere filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and a strong sense of community”.
He stressed the importance of investing in women, saying it is not just the right thing to do, but also aligns with AXA’s purpose of acting for human progress.
He explained that AXA believes the future of women should not be at risk, hence investing in their economic empowerment is a crucial part
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