The National Pawpaw Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NAPGROPMAN) says it will work with other stakeholders to launch master plan for the pawpaw industry.
The association also said it was committed to attract local and foreign direct investments by harnessing potential of the pawpaw value chain.
Ejiefor Donatus, the newly elected National President of NAPGROPMAN, disclosed this at the Adoption of the Draft Constitution and Conduct of Maiden Election of the association in Abuja.
NAPGROPM is a proposed commodity association formed by the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment for recognised national association along its value chain.
Speaking shortly after his election as the president of the association, Donatus pledged to promote the interest of pawpaw stakeholders and to embark on research to develop pawpaw value chain and market structure.
“Apart from the table pawpaw we eat, we use it for juice, soap and scrub, instead of traveling overseas to import these, while we have the raw materials here, I must make sure I attract processors and investors to utilise our raw materials.
“My activities during my one hundred days in office will include a visit to pawpaw stakeholders who use pawpaw for bar products to assess and tackle their challenges to improve economic values of pawpaw,” he said.
In an address, Mr Suleiman Audu, Director, Commodities and Export Department of the ministry, said that the ministry was focused to promote the business of pawpaw value chain throughout the country.
The first stakeholders meeting on pawpaw value chain development in Nigeria in March deliberated on best ways to enhance production, processing and value addition to the commodity and bring its stakeholders under one umbrella.
Audu, represented by Jude Amalunweze, Chief Commercial Officer NAPGROPMAN, noted that the stakeholders’ meeting constituted a nine-man constitution drafting committee to fashion out constitution to guide its activities.
According to the director, the committee completed its work and submitted a copy of draft constitution to the ministry.
He said that the pawpaw stakeholders also met with the Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association of Nigeria (FECAN) and reached a consensus to conduct election with the adoption of its constitution.
He expressed hope that the adoption of the association’s constitution and election of its national executive officers would help towards the promotion and development of pawpaw sub-sector in Nigeria.
The highlights of the event was the election of new executives and adoption of its maiden constitution by the members.
Other officials duly elected were Ibrahim Umar as Deputy National President, Salihu Ibrahim – National Secretary, Haruna Suleiman- Assistant National Secretary and Usman Audu- National Vice-president, Northeast among others.
