The Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria said the country needs to tackle issues preventing its agro-allied industry from growing in order to ensure that Nigeria’s economy is less-dependent on oil.
The institute said several efforts were going on to collaborate with stakeholders to revitalise the agro-allied sector through laboratory analysis, which it described as a quality indicator for acceptance in both domestic and foreign markets.
The Registrar, Mr Aliyu Angara, disclosed this during the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the institute and Mandatory Continuous Professional Development Workshop in Akure, the state capital.
The workshop was themed ‘ Laboratory analysis: A necessary quality assurance measure for acceptance of agro-allied products’.
The registrar said “The workshop which is part of IPAN’s contribution to national development is a practical approach to resolve the challenges in the agro-allied sector of the economy that fall within the ambit of laboratory Analysis of produces, products, pesticides, herbicides, soil, and other related matters.
“Ultimately, this will drastically improve and bring to global standards such agro-allied products that are meant for local consumption and exportation.”
In a keynote address, the Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University , Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Edward Olanipekun, stressed the need for the IPAN to intensify efforts to interact with different organs of government to seek for collaborative support and ways through which organisations could benefit maximally from the African Continental Free Trade Agreement
He said, “Our economy, which was largely dependent on agriculture in the 60s and early 70s, suddenly became hydrocarbon-dependent at the detriment of the agricultural and other non-oil sectors of the economy.
“Despite its huge natural endowments, the neglect of Nigeria’s vast agricultural potentials, which used to be its biggest foreign exchange earner, coupled with non-exploitation of the vast solid minerals potentials, perfectly fits into the paradox of resources curse.”
In his remarks, State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, lauded the institute on its performance in curbing infiltration of substandard products into the Nigerian markets and in other areas of its mandate.
Represented at the workshop by his Chief of Staff, Olugbenga Ale, the governor said, “It is a known fact that Mandatory Continuous Professional Development helps professionals to stay in tune with changing practices and evolving trends in their professions.
“Having this fact in mind, our administration has continued to place premium on the training and re-training of its workforce and has committed huge resources to the training of all categories of workers both locally and internationally.”
