Plateau State government and the Republic of Bulgaria have gone into partnership in agriculture, information and communications technology, education and infrastructural development.
The agreement was reached when the Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Yankovic Yordanov, visited Governor Caleb Mutfwang in Jos.
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A statement issued in Jos by the director of press and public affairs, Gyang Bere said governor Mutfwang expressed the readiness of the Plateau State Government to collaborate with Bulgarian companies not only in the area of agriculture but in technical education; information and communication technology; infrastructural development and scholarship for staff of the Plateau State University, Bokkos.
He said the gesture will boost the dwindling economic situation of the state and upgrade the Plateau State University to a reputable citadel of learning.
Mutfwang said Plateau State is endowed with a favourable weather condition to grow different agricultural products, and appreciated the Bulgarian government for showing interest to partner with Plateau State Government in areas of mutual benefit.
“We welcome the kind of partnership that you talk about, I want us to see how we can grow not only for food security but also for export so that we can help in bringing tangible income. We will be glad if you introduce us to your companies. We will be glad to get their profiles so that we will get our experts to engage in detailed discussions as to the kind of partnership structure we want.
“We want to open up the space as much as possible to direct foreign investment. We will be glad to have Bulgarian Companies that will come on board to do business in Plateau State and I am sure it will be a win-win situation.
“We will want to have this beyond agriculture, we can look at infrastructure. We can look at points of collaboration that will be a value addition for us on the Plateau. I want us to also look at the educational sector, we will be glad to know those areas that we can partner.
‘”We have Plateau State University Bakkos, we will be glad to have the opportunity for collaboration with foreign investors, particularly on technical education and information communication technology. We want to know if we can send some of our lecturers to Bulgaria for further studies to enable them to add to our manpower,” he said.
Earlier, Yordanov had said the visit was to cultivate a conducive atmosphere for Bulgaria to partner with Plateau State in the area of agriculture.
He said Jos has the second highest concentration of Bulgarians after Lagos, adding that they have industries and companies to turn around the Plateau economy for the progress and prosperity of the people.
Yordanov said there are several areas Plateau will collaborate with the Bulgarian companies to improve the economy of the state and said a team from his country will be in Nigeria in October, 2023 and will be glad to meet with Plateau Chamber of Commerce to improve small-scale businesses in the state.