By Stella Odueme
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has stated that proper and adequate training in livestock development will enhance food security and create more job opportunities, especially for the teeming youths.
Speaking during his inspection of the ABIS Group Livestock Processing Facility construction site in the Idu area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the Minister noted the shortage of skilled personnel in livestock management.
A statement by the
Director, Information and Public Relations Department, Ben. Bem Goong on Tuesday said that the minister stressed that the establishment of a training institute by ABIS Group would address this gap and significantly contribute to the sector’s growth.
“The establishment of a training institute by ABIS Group will equip Nigerians with the necessary skills to manage livestock effectively, enhancing food security and creating jobs,” the Minister said.
He assured ABIS Group of the Ministry’s unwavering support to ensure the institute produces world-class professionals in livestock development.
Commending the resilience and dedication of the ABIS Group, the minister pledged the Ministry’s partnership to help realise the Group’s vision of redefining livestock processing in Nigeria, reiterating that the livestock sector holds immense potential for job creation and economic growth.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Founder/Chairman, ABIS Group, Ambassador Emmanuel Nelson Usman, explained that ABIS Group is driven by a vision to redefine livestock processing through innovation sustainability, and excellence.
Highlighting their achievements, Usman said, “Our Lagos facility processes 200 cattle daily, 15,000 poultry birds, and 100 tons of fish, creating over 500 direct jobs and 3,000 to 4,000 indirect jobs, contributing significantly to economic growth and food security.”
He explained that the state-of-the-art, fully automated Idu plant, upon completion, would process 1,000 cattle, 400–600 tons of poultry, 2,000 goats and rams, 1,000 tons of fish, and 10–15 tons of sausages daily. The $30 million investment is projected to create 1,000 direct jobs and over 20,000 indirect jobs across the livestock value chain.
The founder called for the assistance and intervention of the Minister in areas such as facilitating the accelerated clearing of critical containers arriving at Nigerian ports within 10 days and partnering to establish the ABIS Livestock Academy as a center of excellence to enhance technical capacity in the livestock sector.
The Minister was accompanied by key officials from the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
