The Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Jesper Kamp, has said that Arla Foods Global Nigeria will create about 25,000 jobs for Nigerians.
NAN reports that Kamp said Denmark “is now committed to creating job opportunities for Nigerians than giving them financial aids.”
The envoy who spoke at the launch of a partnership between FOSS Analytical Business and Prime Atlantic Global Instruments Limited in Lagos on Monday said aid is unsustainable.
FOSS Analytical is a Danish leading manufacturer of innovative high-end analytical instruments to boost production, food safety and chemical analysis.
“We are currently focusing very much on market development over aid for the reason that we actually use aid money to foster our projects in Nigeria.
“We now believe in creating jobs for Nigerian youths. We cannot continue to give aid because they cannot be forever, but business and sustainability are forever.
“Very soon, Arla Foods Global Nigeria, a Danish company, would be creating about 25,000 jobs for Nigerians in its project in Kaduna.
“The essence of this project is to provide Nigerians with the capacity to produce milk for local consumption,’’ he said.
He added that “Denmark is at the front of global discussions around food safety and security, and has since 2016 been hosting the annual World Food Summit.”
Kamp also said the summit was aimed at promoting discussions on ensuring safe, healthy and sustainable food systems for people.
In his remarks, the area sales manager of FOSS, Mr. Michael Moller, said the decision to partner with Prime Atlantic Global Instruments Limited (PAGI), a Nigerian company, was because of professionalism.
He explained that the new partnership “is meant to provide Nigeria’s food and agro-processing industries with a range of analytical solutions and services that would boost healthy food production.
“We have chosen to cooperate with PAGI because of their professionalism and experience from working with international companies.
“We believe this partnership will also give us the opportunity to look for new markets in palm oil, cocoa and coffee.”
Also speaking, the deputy managing director of PAIGA, Mr. Bode Balogun said the partnership had become important, especially now that emphasis was being placed on local capacity development.
“We expect to improve the quality of food production, whilst at the same time eliminating waste. There is a need for us to improve our food quality from the stage of raw materials to finished products.
“Our aim is to help achieve this in the most efficient and cost-effective way, thereby creating better value for both manufacturers and consumers,” Balogun stated.
