The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Multi-Net Group Limited on the development and operation of modern international standard abattoirs in the six geo-political zones of the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sonny Echono signed the pact with the firm’s Chairman, Dr. Uzoma Obiyo to produce healthy, quality fresh and meat locally in order to generate income and livelihood for the livestock farmers that he will work with.
Speaking with reporters after the signing ceremony in Abuja, Obiyo said: “My dream and objective for this modern abattoir is to produce healthy and quality fresh and local produced animals, provide income and livelihood for livestock farmers of whom he is intending to work with, towards achieving his dreams, and also to attract young unemployed youths into farming and live-stock production.”
He said his company expects a situation where a young person will be proud to say that he or she is a butchery expert and earning good living with it.
Obiyo noted that Africa, especially Nigeria, has no excuse to rely on imported meat products.
According to him, since the hygiene and quality of imported meat are questionable, his firm has moved to develop a meat and livestock process value-chain whereby there will be traceability in the meat products, guarantee of the quality and hygiene.
He said: “I believe that Africa and Nigeria should not be relying on imported meat products of which the hygiene and quality are questionable, he wants to develop a meat and livestock process value-chain whereby there will be traceability in our meat products, and also the quality and hygiene will be guaranteed.
“ At the moment such facility and process is lacking, so it is of no surprise that most of the large hotels and restaurants in Nigeria, import their meat and livestock products from South Africa, and costing the nation a large chunk of its scarce dollars in capital flight and of cause denying our local farmers their needed in-come.”
The Chairman of Multi-Net maintained that he is on a mission and will not stop until Nigeria and Africa is self-sufficient in feeding its populations and providing them with adequate energy for domestic use and industrialisation.
He stressed that his company is also concerned about the provision of locally produced petroleum products for local consumption.
Obiyo said that issues of local content unsettles him, noting Nigeria has the human and natural resources to drive its economy without a recourse to foreigners.
“I believe we have the capacity both in human-resources and natural resources and it is for that reason. I am a passionate supporter and promoter of Local Content in every sector, because I see no reason our best are running out of the country and helping to build other country’s viable economy while we are employing people from those foreign countries, whom their own countries will not employ,” he said.
Projecting into the future, the chairman maintained that he is committed to seeing Nigeria dominates the global economy in food export and production.
At the moment, Obiyo said that he wants to produce healthy and fresh quality food for Nigeria with zero wastage because everything in the farm and in the abattoir will be utilised.
He regretted seeing a lot of wastes in the food, agricultural and livestock chain. He revealed that he has also got a viable and implementable plan to go into fisheries and fish processing and storage.
Obiyo called on the Federal Government, the citizenry, especially other entrepreneurs to emulate the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to support the local industries.
On his own, he said he is ready to collaborate with Federal and State governments and agencies to make foods and livestock, healthy, hygienic and affordable by all.
He sought the concerted efforts of all Nigerians and the President for a serious and sincere fight for locally produced food in the country.
Obiyo recalled that Multi-Net Group Limited had early this year signed an MoU with the Federal Ministry of Power for the development of the coal fields in Enugu.
The MoU, said the chairman, is for the generation 500mega-watts (mw) in the first instant and in the long-term increase the generation to 1,000mw.
He revealed that after the pact with the Ministry of Power, he has flagged-off the studies necessary for the implementation of its project -”Using coal to Light Up Nigeria.”
The chairman noted that unlike many who just sign MOU and do nothing with it, he “ is a restless, creative, energetic and innovator who is resolute and convinced that we have all it takes to produce enough power for domestic and industrial use but also for export.”
Since signing the MOU, Obiyo noted that he has commenced and nearly completed all the necessary studies needed to commence the next stage of making his project “Using Coal to Light Up Nigeria” a reality.
He however explained that “the only delay now in bringing my dream to reality is the Coal licence of which I am hoping that, with the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Power and all the necessary agencies that I will move fast with his very detailed and time-lined road–map on generating 500mw of electricity from coal.”
Commenting on his enterprise, he said MULTI-NET GROUP LIMITED is wholly owned and an indigenous Nigerian company, of whom he is the Chairman.
He described himself as an established and successful entrepreneur in the Telecom Industry.
Continuing, the chaiman said he “is a man with a good nose for business opportunities that sometimes people are becoming to imagine me as the Warren Buffet of our own but they can see me by-passing the success of Warren Buffet, so the only comparison between us is our noses in smelling out business opportunities even when others do not see it.
“For Dr. Obiyo, any difficulty I encounter in the process everyday life and business becomes another business potential, because I do not believe in moaning or passing bucks but I believe that Nigerians and Africans should solve all our infrastructure problems.”
