Nasarawa seals tripartite deal with NASENI, Bob Track on assemblage of tractors, agric equipment

…says agric productivity, job opportunities will improve

As part of efforts to create employment opportunities and ensure food sufficiency for the people in the State and beyond, the Nasarawa State Government has signed a tripartite agreement with Bob Track Tractor Limited and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to assemble tractors and other agricultural machines.

The ties by the trio was part of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s commitment to keying into President Bola Tinubu’s mechanized agricultural farming dream meant to create job opportunities and boost food production in the State and Nigeria as a whole through the assemblage of agric implements at the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI) in Lafia, the State Capital.

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BusinessDay reports that Governor Abdullahi Sule sought the collaboration among Nasarawa State Government, NASENI and Bob Track Tractor Limited during a meeting he brokered at the head office of NASENI in Abuja recently.

According to the governor, the collaboration became necessary in order for Nasarawa State to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s Administration on food security and employment opportunities centred on utilization of AMEDI facility, which was commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor noted that the partnership with the local tractor manufacturing company was in line with the vision of NASENI to promote Nigeria and Nigerian products.

“I am proud to tell you that, I brought a company that is the owner of Nigerian made tractors being assembled in Port Harcourt, called Bob Track.

“They have offices all over the country. Here in Abuja, they have offices along Airport Road. They have tractors of medium and large sizes. They have keyed into the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda in food security”, he said.

Governor Sule was emphatic that with NASENI’s presence in the State with its facilities in Nasarawa, Gora, Keffi and Lafia, it would be a win-win if the Agency could enter into a partnership with Bob Track Tractor Limited to assemble tractors in Lafia.

“I feel you have all these investments in Nasarawa State. We must find a way to utilize it.

“I feel this is happening in my state. I can not send them to you. I felt I had to come myself and introduce this relationship to show you how important it is for us. So that when you enter into the relationship with them, at the end of the day, the tractors that would be manufactured are Nigerian made tractors, which are in line with the dream of NASENI.

“Secondly, you are going to create employment opportunities for the people. And for them, this is one of the most wonderful things they could do because this is the era of collaboration with the new NASENI. At the end of the day, in Nasarawa State, the teeming youths will be employed”, he added.

Responding, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, said that the Agency under his watch is very much business-like, stressing that NASENI is willing to collaborate with Nigerian firms towards promoting local production.

“We are not merely a research and development center but we also want to have our products consumed by Nigerians. You have all our support, and we will work together towards achieving our objectives,” he stated.

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Ibifiri Bobmanuel, the MD/CEO of Bob Track Tractor Limited, said his company was looking forward to partnering with Government of Nasarawa State.

“Nasarawa State seats at a very pivotal point in the Country where it is central to our markets, which is the agrohub in Nigeria.

“This whole project becomes most interesting and I will quickly thank the MD of American-West African Agro Limited, Mr Jerry for making all of this happen. Because he did speak a lot and from that he said I think it’s the right thing for us to do.

“We are very willing to take up the facility that you have there in Nasarawa State to see that we bring life into it, create employment and use it as a hub to drive the mechanized agricultural dream of the present administration”, he said.