*Arewa Think Tank Hails Tinubu’s Meeting with Brazilian President, Predicts Revolution in Agriculture

James Emejo in Abuja

A Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT), yesterday lauded President Bola Tinubu’s recent meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva.
The group expressed optimism that the engagement between both leaders will boost agricultural development in Nigeria, after the Nigerian leader vowed to clear all impediments to the sector’s growth.
ATT disclosed this in a statement signed by its Convener, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu.
In another development, the group also commended the federal government for declining US President Donald Trump’s request to accept Venezuelan deportees.

AAT pointed out that Nigeria had enough of its own challenges to contend with.
At the bilateral meeting between Tinubu and Lula held at the Copacabana Forte, alongside some members of both countries’ cabinets, Tinubu noted that bureaucracy contributes to delays in realising the agricultural sector’s potential in Nigeria.

Following the meeting however, Yakubu expressed satisfaction with the Nigerian leader who told the Brazilian president that his administration would remove all bottlenecks to improve food and Agricultural production in Nigeria.
“Arewa Think Tank is delighted that President Bola Tinubu has assured that all bottlenecks hindering the realisation of the agricultural sector’s potential, including livestock production, will be removed to enable food sovereignty and export.

“We are excited and satisfied that President Tinubu informed the Brazilian leader and delegation that Nigeria was already undergoing reforms to reposition the economy for global competitiveness, particularly in agriculture, where it already has a competitive advantage.

“We understand that at that meeting, President Tinubu stated that all technicalities in agreements between the two countries will be streamlined and fast-tracked in trade, aviation, energy transition, food and agricultural development, mining, and natural resources exploration.”

Yakubu further noted that it was heartwarming that Nigeria will leverage Brazil’s research and development services which is rated as one of the highest producers of food and agricultural products.
“Another exciting development from the meeting is that President Lula assured that all agreements with Nigeria would be regularised, and the MoUs would be updated and signed without delay during President Tinubu’s next visit.”

ATT stressed that “President Da Silva noted that the lingering bureaucracy between the two countries must be removed to achieve quick results, adding that Brazil’s research and development institutions will collaborate with Nigeria to enhance livestock farming.

“We wish to commend the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, for being focused and for affirming that President Tinubu had consistently insisted on food security for Nigeria, and the mandate would be actualised through local and global partnerships”.

“We also commend the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, for highlighting three areas of partnership with Brazil, including health and disease management, sanitary services, and research into genetic materials and new breeds”.

Meanwhile, on the Venezuelan deportees, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, had said that the country cannot accept the deportees-especially those with criminal backgrounds-from Venezuela.

Yusuf said: “We agreed with the minister that it would be difficult for Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners. We have 230 million people already with our own internal issues.”

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