By Emmanuel Abi Couson
Nasarawa State Government and Bobtrack Tractor Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) confirming the willingness of the state government to facilitate the securing and release of the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI) owned by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for the assembling of tractors.
The agreement being the second leg of a tripartite agreement entered into between the Nasarawa State Government, NASENI and Bobtrack was signed at a ceremony at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja on Thursday.
Speaking shortly after the signing of the agreement, Governor Abdullahi Sule said even though his administration is desirous of signing the agreement to facilitate the assembling of tractors at the AMEDI, the vision is to see tractors being manufactured entirely in the state.
Governor Sule congratulated the management of Bobtrack Tractors Limited for earlier on signing the first leg of the tripartite agreement with NASENI on Wednesday.
“You can understand how happy I am that you signed yesterday. Congratulations. That is really the biggest thing. Even though this is a tripartite agreement, the most important part of the agreement is the one who has the facility and the one who has the investment.
“I think the one that was done yesterday, that is the greatest of them all. Today, what we will continue to do, we are more like cheerleaders. We are the ones to cheer you from the back and ensure that this thing happens. We are the ones to encourage you on this investment. We are the ones to provide the security of this investment. We are the ones to ensure that you have patronage,” he said.
The Governor assured that the state government will keep its part of the agreement by agreeing to purchase 30 tractors in the first year and additional 50 tractors at least during the second year.
He noted that just like the Managing Director of Bobtrack Tractors Limited said, the initiative is not only for Nasarawa State, Bobtrack but for Nigeria as a whole.
“In Ukraine, the tractors are not beautiful like John Deer but they are tractors that work. In Nasarawa State we need tractors that work. That is what Nigeria needs. We don’t need fancy things right now. What we need right now are very rugged kind of tractors. And the Bobtrack tractors look really rugged. That is the reason we are putting our efforts into this,” he said.
Governor Sule welcomed the idea that Bobtract will start producing assembled tractors from the AMEDI in Lafia in 120 days.
He expressed confidence that Bobtrack will further collaborate with the Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic (IMAP) Lafia, where the company would find the institution’s well equipped electrical and mechanical workshops useful.
“Next to the Polytechnic is the technical and vocational institute. The institute is a source of employment for you but is also a source of manufacture for you,” he added.
Also speaking, Ibifiri Bobmanuel, MD/CEO of Bobtrack Tractor Limited, said the signing of the agreement is a clarion call to the country to see how businesses could be attracted to different states to make things happen.
“Most times we think it’s a difficult process. But I believe most states should borrow a leaf from what is going on here. It’s worth commendable. With this partnership, the Northern part of Nigeria and indeed the entire Nigeria will have to breathe a fresh air when it comes to agriculture,” he said.
Bobmanuel reiterated that Nigeria’s real potentials lies in agriculture and that with the signing of the tripartite agreement, the country is one step to the peak of her potential.
“For us at Bobtrack, we are a company that put our word where our mouth is. We believe in our track record. We will uphold our principles. We will keep to the tenets of this agreement to the letter. To that end, we will say thank you. We are already in Nasarawa State,” he stated.
The Bobtrack Managing Director said as part of the agreement, his company will start rolling out assembled tractors in Lafia in the next 120 days.
Earlier, in an opening remarks, Nasarawa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Labaran Magaji, said the agreement was signed in order to ascertain the willingness of Nasarawa State Government to facilitate the securing and release of NASENI facility to Bobtrack Tractor Limited for the purposes of assembling of tractors.
The Attorney-General said the agreement is in line with Governor Sule’s policy direction on agriculture, industrialization, as well as attracting investors.
“As an incentive, the state government has agreed to purchase for the first year, not less than 30 units of the tractors from the company and less than 50 during the second year. The state, in its own part of commitment, will wave some taxes for one year,” he explained.
During the ceremony, Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, Barrister Muhammad Ubandoma Aliyu signed the agreement on behalf of the state government while Ibifiri Bobmanuel signed on behalf of Bobtrack Tractors Limited.
