02042019 - Military uncovers arms factory in Benue

By Naomi Uzor
The Federal Govern
ment, weekend,
said creating a strong
linkage between agriculture
and industry is a
sure way of bringing
about sustainable growth
in the country.
Disclosing this at the
opening ceremony of the
40th Kaduna International
Trade Fair, tagged
“Consolidating Interface
between Industry and
Agriculture for Sustainable
Economic Development”,
organized by the
Kaduna Chamber of
Commerce, Industry,
Mines and Agriculture
(KADCCIMA), the
Minister of Industry,
Trade and Investment,
Dr. Okechukwu Enelama
said creating a strong
linkage between agriculture
and industry will create
new jobs, improve
value added, create
wealth for farming communities,
improve manufacturing
output and enable
the roll-out of infrastructure
around farming
communities and industrialising
the country.
He said the Federal
Government has begun
implementing several
programs aimed at
achieving these goals;
one of these programs is
the Made in Nigeria for
Exports program which
seeks to fast track the development
of model export
oriented Special Economic
Zones across the
country to promote export-oriented
agroprocessing;
the revision
and rollout of several sector
policies to promote
VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2019 — 25
ECONOMY
FG to create strong linkage between agriculture,
industry for sustainable growth — Minister
investment in processing
of agricultural commodities
such as oil palm, cassava,
tomatoes, sugar,
dairy, amongst others.
“Also, the ERGP Secretariat
is pursuing the
implementation of 70
new investment projects
identified during the recently
concluded Manufacturing
and Processing
Focus Labs. These opportunities
which were identified
in food processing,
textiles and garments,
general manufacturing,
etc present a great opportunity
to improve the
value added to our agricultural
output and their
scale is a testament to the
potentials which exist in
our economy” he said.
Enelama said Governments
remain a key
ally to all businesses and
the commitment of State
Governments is required
for business to stay the
course throughout the
business lifecycles.
“For instance we rely
on State Governments to
provide access to land,
act as mediators in conflict
prevention and resolution,
link local SMEs to
the supply chains of
processing companies,
provide needed infrastructure
to link farms to
processing plants and
markets and overall, provide
a conducive environment
for businesses
and their host communities
to thrive. I am glad
to say that we have such
a partner in the Kaduna
State Government”
“ We are focused on
resolving the challenges
which remain in our business
environment. Relevant
teams across the
Government are implementing
various initiatives
and policies that
address key areas of concern
such as the need for
modern infrastructure,
power supply and good
road network across the
country; improving the
patronage of locally
made goods;bridging the
gap in industrial skills
and innovation, ease of
doing business, cost and
access to finance for
SMEs, resolving multiple
taxation, amongst others”
he stated. The Governor
of Kaduna State, Mal.
Nasiru El-Rufai said the
theme is apt, vital and
critical because it resonates
government’s drive
to revitalize and diversify
the economy, laying more
emphasis now on non-oil
export products and also
making concerted efforts
at attracting domestic and
foreign investors/investments.
El Rufai who was represented
by the newly
elected deputy Governor,
Hajiyah Hadizat
Balarabe, said the state
has made considerable
efforts to build a conducive
and great climate for
business and its doing its
best to build the human
capital to support its drive
for development by establishing
business support
centres for entrepreneurs,
revamping Business
Training Centre
(BATCs) all aiming to
provide skills training for
youths.
He said the state government
is delighted to
have discharged its own
part of investment
needed for proper operation
of Kaduna Inland
Dry Port.
“The dry port is a significant
federal government
investment in the
economic prospects of our
state. The port positions
Kaduna as a point of origin
and destination for
the export and import of
goods globally. We believe
strongly that it is
only when economic diversification
is encouraged
and supported that
we will be able to provide
critical infrastructure,
generate employment,
create wealth, reduce
poverty and drastically
reduce insecurity” he
said. The President of
KADCCIMA, Dr. Farida
Dankaka said the
Chamber deliberately
choose this theme to compliment
the effort of the
government towards revamping
the economy to
drive investments in agriculture
and manufacturing,
adding that, it highlights
the growing interest
to strengthen the nonoil
sector especially these
two key sectors: the industry
and agricultural sector.
“ Since its assumption
of office, the present administration
of President
Muhammadu Buhari
has identified these sectors
as crucial and critical
to the growth and development
of our economy.
This is against the low
contribution of non-oil sectors
to the GDP when compared
to the oil sector” she
said.
She commended the
leadership of the Federal
Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development,
for the unprecedented
growth witnessed in the
Agriculture sector which
UAC appoints Aiyesimoju Group Managing Director/CEO
Mr. Folasope Babasola
Aiyesimoju
The Board of Direc
tors of UAC of Nigeria
PLC (UAC) has announced
the appointment
of Mr. Folasope
Babasola Aiyesimoju as
the Company’s Group
Managing Director/CEO
with effect from April 1,
2019. The Board thanked
Mrs Omolara Elemide for
her hard work and dedication
to the Company as
Acting GMD/CEO from
January 2019.
MrAiyesimoju is a finance
professional with
experience spanning cor-
porate finance, principal
investing and private equity.
In the course of his
career, MrAiyesimoju
has lived and worked in
Sub-Saharan Africa’s
most important economies
gaining experience
of the operating landscape
in the region. He
holds a B.Sc. (Hons) degree
in Estate Management
from the University
of Lagos, where he was
awarded a Certificate of
Excellence in real estate
development and finance,
and earned the
right to use the CFA designation
in 2006.
He is the founder of
Themis Capital Management,
an investment firm
focused on concentrating
capital and talent on
high-potential opportunities
in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior to founding
Themis, he worked with
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts,
a leading global investment
firm. His experience
also includes working
with the Standard Bank
Group, where he led
mergers and acquisitions
in Nigeria. Mr.
Aiyesimoju spent the
early part of his career
with Ocean and Oil Holdings
Limited, a principal
investment firm in Nigeria
and ARM Investment
Managers, one of
Nigeria’s leading investment
advisory and wealth
management firms. He
also co-founded Foodpro
Limited, a nutritional
*Heneiken from the stables of the Nigerian Breweries Plc presents dummy
cheque for all expense paid trip to a winner (centre) to watch the UEFA
Champions league final in Lagos.
snacks business focused
on edible nuts, where he
currently serves as a nonexecutive
director.
MrAiyesimoju first
joined the Board of UAC
in March 2018 and is a
member of the Governance
and Remuneration
Committee of the Board.
Keystone Bank Lim
ited (the Bank) has
announced the resignation
of Mr. Obeahon Ohiwerei
from office as Managing
Director/CEO of
the Bank, and the appointment
of Mr. Abubakar
Danlami Sule as
Acting Managing Director/CEO.
Mr. Sule’s appointment
is subject to
approval by the Central
Bank of Nigeria.
A statement from the
Bank disclosed that Mr.
Ohiwerei is leaving to
pursue other personal
interests. The statement
further added that the
Board recognized and
appreciated Mr. Obeahon’s
immense contributions
to the growth of Keystone
Bank and the visibility
the Bank had attained
as a brand in the
past eighteen months.
Mr Sule is a graduate
of Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria with degree in
He was also appointed
Managing Director/CEO
of UACN Property Development
PLC (UPDC) in
August 2018. In his capacity
as Group MD/CEO
of UAC, he will serve concurrently
as Managing
Director/CEO of UPDC
until a new head is appointed
for the subsidiary
Accounting. He is a Fellow
of the Institute of
Chartered Accountants of
Nigeria; anHonourary
Member of the Chartered
Institute of Bankers of
Nigeria;a Governing
Member of the Chartered
Institute of Bankers of Nigeria;
and an Alumni of
both the INSEAD (France)
and Wharton Business
School in Pennsylvania,
USA. He was until his
appointment as Acting
MD/CEO, the Deputy
Managing Director of
Keystone Bank Limited.
Mr. Sule has over 29
years of cutting-edge
banking experience with
competences in Corporate
Banking, Operations,
Treasury Management,
the on going “rice revolution”,
interventions to
boost fertilizer production
and reduce cost
amongst others.
“ We at KADCCIMA
wish to commend His
Excellency, the Governor
of Kaduna State on the
recent commissioning of
a 30 Metric Tonnes tomato
processing plant
here in State last
month. We also want to
commend the recent decision
of the Central
Bank Governor to stop
allocating foreign exchange
to importers of
textile materials into the
country. This bold decision
coupled with plan
by the Federal Government
to revive cotton production
through the development
of improved
seed will go a long way
towards reviving cotton
production” she stated.
company.
Commenting on the
appointment, the Chairman
of the Board of UAC,
Mr Dan Agbor, said the
appointment of Mr.
Aiyesimoju as GMD/
CEO signifies the company’s
ambitions, and
the Board’s determination
to accelerate the
process of change within
the Group.
Sule takesover as Acting Managing Director
Mr. Abubakar Danlami
Sule
Credit Structuring, Corporate
Planning, as well
as possession of very
strong relationship management
skills.
Mr. Sule had also
served briefly as the
Managing Director of
Sterling Capital Limited,
the Investment Banking
Subsidiary of Sterling
Bank Plc in 2009. While
at Sterling Capital Limited,
he was appointed
by the CBN as part of the
Executive Management
team to turnaround the
fortunes of erstwhile Intercontinental
Bank Plc.
He eventually returned
to Sterling Bank Plc as
Executive Director in
charge of the North and
Corporate Banking.