By Rukayat Moisemhe
Dangote Fertiliser Limited has announced plans to train over one million farmers in the next three years to enhance the agricultural sector and create jobs.
Mr Uchenna Nwankwo, Deputy Sales Officer, Dangote Fertiliser Ltd., made this known in a statement on Sunday from the ongoing Enugu International Trade Fair.
Nwankwo said the training, which Is part of the company’s agriculture extension services will involve spot demonstrations, result demonstrations, field demonstrations and soil sample collections.
He added that the exercise was designed to instruct farmers on the best practices in fertiliser application.
He revealed that free samples of the fertilisers would be used in field demonstrations while the results would be collated at the end of the farming season.
Earlier, President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Mr Jasper Nduagwuike, praised Dangote Industries Limited for the sponsorship of the Enugu International Trade fair.
He said that the indigenous conglomerate activities were making great impact in the economic development of the country.
Nduagwuike lauded the firm for turning Nigeria’s economy from consuming to producing, by manufacturing household items, fertiliser and other products.
“ECCIMA expects other companies to emulate Dangote industries because that is the only way you can change the course of this economy.
” I challenge Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to understand that Dangote industries was once a SME but with hard work, resilience, and determination, it is today a conglomerate.
“The profound gratitude of ECCIMA to Dangote industries for being a part of the sponsorship of the fair and this relationship will continue and for us it is morning yet on creation day,” he said.
Regional Sales Director, Dangote Cement, Southeast, Mr Abayomi Shittu, said the interest of the Dangote Group was aimed at supporting government in job creation and reducing poverty in the country.
He noted that the company, through its job creation mechanism, had become the second biggest employer of labour in the country outside the government.
Shittu stated that the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, was passionate about promoting the activities of Chambers of Commerce and Industries across the nation.
“He is interested in activities of all the major Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Nigeria, hence our participation in trade fairs organised by Enugu, Abuja, Ogun, Kaduna, and Kano Chambers of Commerce and Industries.
“Our participation at all major trade fairs across the country is a means of demonstrating our belief that Chambers of Commerce and Industry occupy a unique position in driving economic development through their activities.
“Our expectation is that this trade fair will further expand awareness for our innovative products, generate sales, get prospective buyers, improve the image of our brands, and open up new markets that will further translate in job creation,” he said. (NAN)