The Federal Government’s temporary initiative on border closure has received the backing of both the academia and the business community in Kano State.

An expert in food and nutrition and Head of Department of Food Science and Technology, Bayero University Kano (BUK), Dr. Dahiru Adamu, said the border closure has greatly enhanced the rice value chain in the country.

Dr. Adamu spoke as a guest lecturer at the commissioning of the ultra-modern PRNigeria Centre in Kano, built by Image Merchant Promotions Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential.

He said the ‘rebellion posture’ of the Federal Government on border closure has quick wins which include food security, quality and safety, nutrition, reduction in corruption and the development of appropriate technologies.

Dr Adamu further emphasised that the rice value chain will also enhance the use of critical manpower development, logistics control and development, sustainable employment, sustainable income to enable individual, corporate and national planning strategies.

The Head of Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University Kano, Dr. Haruna Ismail, urged the government to use the media to promote the policies on national security and interest. He argued that the advantages of border closure would enhance local production of Nigeria’s rice and value addition.

Speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director of Fursa Foods, Alhaji Abba Dantata, who also an executive member of the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN), threw his weight behind the border closure, noting that the development has enhanced increased production of the commodity.

Alhaji Dantata noted that the Nigerian Rice has more nutritional value compared to the imported ones apart from the multiplier effect of employment generation through various rice value chain.

Earlier in his address at the occasion, the Chairman and founder of PRNigeria, Mr. Yushau Shuaib, said the event was focused on four critical areas namely: Commissioning the PRNigeria Centre, a glimpse of his new book on Crisis Communication and his voluntary retirement from public service after 25 years at the age of 50 years.

Shuaib said the centre is dedicated to the training and mentoring of those inclined to investigative journalism and public relations practice, while also serving as a centre for conferences and seminars in collaboration with critical stakeholders such as NIPR and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

At the occasion were members of the academia from the Bayero University Kano, representatives of the Nigerian Army, Customs, Civil Defense, Nigeria Correctional Service, businessmen, Sarkin Kofar Dukawuya of Kano, Alhaji Maitama Bello, students among other dignitaries. (PRNigeria)

•PHOTO: Alhaji Abba Dantata, Yushau Shuaib, Dr Dahiru Adamu of BUK, Alhaji Bello Maitama at Thursday’s commissioning of PRNigeria Centre Kano.

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