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From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The West African Rice Association(WARA) has commended Labana Rice Mills,Kebbi State for expanding its agribusiness programme to some African countries.
They declared that the company’s business initiative, will undoubtedly fast track socioeconomic development in the West African sub region.
President of the Association Mr. Mahamadou Hadeve stated this when he led the leadership of the Association on a tour to the company in Birnin Kebbi in continuation of their visit to the member countries.
The team were accompanied by the RIFAN Deputy National President Alhaji Ahmed Dukku and the Kebbi State Chairman Alhaji Sahabi Augie. They were received and briefed by the management Staff led by General Manager Abdullahi Idris Zuru.
Hadeve explained that the Executive Committee Members of the Association were drawn from Niger, Ghana, Burkina Faso,Benin, Togo, Senegal and Nigeria.
According to him,” the tour was aimed at mobilising both Rice farmers and processors in the sub-region to strengthen our relationship, promote and develop Rice business transaction within the sub-region.
” But on arrival in Nigeria and Labana Rice Mills in particular, we discovered that Labana Rice Mills has already set the pace for achieving our mission and objectives” the President declared.
He expressed their satisfaction over the acquisition of 30,000 hectares of farm land by Labana Rice Mills in Benin Republic for Rice cultivation and acceptance of students from educational institutions in the neighbouring countries for industrial training as another solid foundation for achieving the Association’s set objectives.
He further expressed satisfaction with the cordial relationship between Rice farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN) which he said had remarkably contributed to the success of rice business in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the General Manager of Labana,Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru assured the visitors that the company will fully support their initiative of uniting the Rice producers and processors in order to turn around the fortune of the Rice industry in the sub-region.
Zuru disclosed that the company was considering more avenues to further promote agribusiness in the neighbouring countries.
