From Jimi Anjolaoluwa – Abuja
Re-elected President of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina has been tasked to give priority attention to science and technology in order to help African countries devlop agricultural technology for continental food security.
A group of African youths based in Asia under the aegis of African Youths in Asia (AYA) gave this charge in a congratulatory message to pthe President of the continental bank, applauding his re-election, the group said Adesina’s victory was well deserved.
The group also described his re-election as a victory for hard work that charaterised Adesina’s first tenure as the President of the continental bank.
These were contained in a congratulatory letter to the AfBD President and made available to newsmen at the weekend in Abuja by the coordinator of the group, Oladotun Toye.
The group said Adesina’s re-election at just concluded virtual annual general meeting of AfDB did not come as a surprise and advised the foremost banker that “high achievements always take place in the framework of high expectation”.
According to the group: “You won the heart of many with your revolutionary agricultural agenda and developmental programs.
“Your smallholder farmer scheme is a testimony of commitment to improve food production and food sufficiency for millions of Africans experiencing an acute food shortage in the continent.
“As a son of a farmer who understands farmers’ problems, you introduce a mechanism that gives increment on credit facilities for the millions of small-scale African farmers.
“The impact was felt across Africa. You led the bank to secure US$115 billion in the pledges fund agreement, in a direction to doubled its capital and bonded its triple-A rating.
“We urge you to do more. We want to use your re-election to improve science and technology to help African countries on agricultural technology like what is applicable in most Asian countries of Japan, China, Taiwan, among others.”
The group further urged Adesina to use his second term to increase the bank’s partnership with countries in Asia to secure more funds that could be used to improve and assist organizations and institutions in revolutionizing agriculture in Africa.
It also called for the creation of a sustainable platform where all African youths who have a genuine interest in agriculture entrepreneurship and industrialization will have access to the global development fund with adequate monitoring mechanisms.
The group then congratulated and assured the AfDB President of it’s support. They expressed convictionas that Adesina’s leadership will set another limestone achievement on his second five years in office.
