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EXPOSED: Pretty Okafor, Kenny George DUPE, Steals PMAN’s N100million’ …… + The Heritage Bank, Diamond Bank Connections….. Full Details Inside!

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Says: ‘N12million Kept in Heritage Bank Acct No 0002775335, Lodges N80million in Heritage Bank Acct No. 5100155938 and N2million Kept in Diamond Bank Acct No. 0056423168’

* Narrates How they Fleeced Airtel, MTN, Heritage and Diamond Banks

* Under False Pretences Collect Fund from other Unsuspecting Companies

*Opened Illegal Bank Account in PMAN Name without Authorisation of our Trustees’

* Claims: ‘They Are Fraudsters, Criminals engaging in Money Laundering’

*Petitions Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police to Investigate, Prosecute them

 

DAMING ATROCITIES of two impostors, conmen and alleged fraudsters in the activities of Nigeria’s lull music body, Performing Musicians’ Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Pretty Okafor and Kenny George has exposed how they have been collecting various sums of money from different corporate bodies in Nigeria ‘all in the name of entertainment’. As at the last count, a hefty sum of N100million was discovered to have been deceitfully cornered from Airtel, MTN, Heritage/Diamond Banks aside other firms surreptitiously.

Making this shocking revelation known to Nigerians in a petition addressed to Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris by the appointed Chairman, PMAN Caretaker Committee, Kelvin Lucciano Gabriel in a joint referendum unanimously endorsed from the New Caretaker National Committee officially inaugurated by Honorable Minister of Labour and Employment, the document states that “On the 12th of July, 2016, a new National Caretaker Committee of thePerforming Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria – PMAN, was officially inaugurated by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige at the ministry’s office in Abuja. We have enclosed a recent letter from the Labour ministry to that effect, dated 26th July 2016 to buttress this fact and for your better understanding. The new PMAN National Caretaker Committee has been mandated with the responsibility to manage the affairs of the Union pending the conduct of a fresh National Delegate Conference, amongst others.

 

PMAN Trade Union Status

Regarding the trade union status of PMAN, Kelvin explains: “For your further better understanding, PMAN as a trade union was registered in 1984 under the Trade Unions Act and its activities are regulated by the Registrar of the Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.”

PMAN intra-union Bickering

Detailing various bickering in PMAN which obviously led to long lull in the association and provides lacuna for impostors to steal, Kelvin states: “For some years now, there has been intra-union bickering and controversy amongst our members which principally centers on leadership tussle. As a result of leadership crisis inherent in the union and to resolve all claims to leadership, the new Caretaker Committee under the Chairmanship of Gabriel Kelvin Lucciano was inaugurated after an elaborate nationwide PMAN referendum and consultations which was submitted to the Registrar of Trade Unions which culminated to the Honourable Minister’s inauguration of the committee on the 12th July 2016.

“As a Trade Union, PMAN has its constitution which stipulates the processes that must be followed to produce a legitimate President that presides over the affairs of the Union. The said processes are contained in Rules 8 of PMAN Constitution. However, Rule 13 (4) may apply if the circumstance arises. This Constitution is subsisting till date. It is on record that the only legitimate executive of PMAN before the ensuing of the current crisis was as a result of the PMAN NDC which was held in Kaduna in 2005 which elected Bolaji Rosiji and subsequently produced, Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as the legitimate president of PMAN.

“Owing to the crisis in PMAN, some group of people including one Mr. Pretty Okafor, Mr. Kenny George and Mr. Ibezimako among others instituted a suit before the Federal High Court, Lagos in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/919/2012 and on the 31st day of October, 2014 the Honourable Justice O.E. Abang gave them a consent judgment. The existence of the suit was not made known to the Trustees of PMAN which as at the last known constituted executives of PMAN included Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as President and Engineer. George Dureke as 1stVice President as stipulated in Rule 13 of the PMAN Constitution, neither were their consents obtained before the suit and judgment in the name of the Union.”

419 Activities of Pretty Okafor and Kenny George Exposed

Exposing Okafor and Kenny as criminals on prowl all over Nigeria deceiving corporate organisations, the petition reveals: “ “We were amazed that sometime in November, 2014 this same group of people led by one Mr. Pretty Okafor was parading a judgment of the Federal High Court asserting right to the Union’s leadership. We swung into action and discovered that the matter was filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos in 2012 long after the Federal High Court’s powers to handle Trade Union matters was taken away and given exclusively to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. Effectively, federal high courts have no jurisdiction over Trade Union Disputes henceforth.

“We mandated our lawyers to set aside the judgment after which they subsequently filed papers before Justice O.E. Abang drawing the Honourable Judge’s attention to the clear Constitutional provisions as to the limit of the Federal High Court over a Trade Union matters and the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court over all Trade Union matters.

“On the 14th of April, 2016, the said fraudulent consent judgment was set aside by the same federal high court having accepted its lack of jurisdiction while upholding the exclusive jurisdiction of the Nigerian Industrial Court over the matter. With the recent setting aside and voiding of the frivolous claim to presidency of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor, his claims has effectively come to a conclusive end.”

Okafor, Kenny Stole N100million PMAN Fund, Bank Account Revealed

In this petition sent to Nigeria’s IGP, Kelvin detailed how Kenny and Okafor duped, stole and laundered the sum of N100million belonging to PMAN. His words: “Sir, it has also become clear that soon after the so called ‘consent judgment’ Mr. Pretty Okafor and his team embarked on an elaborate plan to scam and defraud the unsuspecting Nigerian corporate community including the following:

Airtel

MTN

Heritage Bank

Diamond Bank etc

“They have subsequently obtained over one hundred million naira from these unsuspecting organizations and many others under false pretences and misrepresentation using the name of PMAN. They have received and laundered the proceeds of their scam through various illegal bank accounts opened in the name of PMAN without the consent and authorization of the trustees of PMAN.

“These fraudulent bank accounts include those they operate at Heritage Bank and Diamond Bank in Lagos. For the purpose of clarity, the following bank accounts have been used by Mr. Pretty Okafor and his accomplices to fraudulently obtain and launder various large amounts of money from corporate organizations using the name of PMAN:

Heritage Bank account number 0002775335 = N12,000,000

2nd Heritage Bank number 5100155938 = N80,000,000

Diamond Bank account number 0056423168 = N 2,000,000

 

“Sir, we the members of the newly inaugurated PMAN Caretaker Committee hereby humbly and graciously plead that your good offices should cease to deal with Mr. Pretty Okafor as the president of PMAN or any other matters relating to the music industry in the name of PMAN. Mr. Pretty Okafor is not and has never been the president of PMAN or any of its committee in any legal manner whatsoever. Mr. Pretty Okafor is in fact not a card carrying member of PMAN.

For your further better understanding, we have attached the following documents:

Full texts of the certified true copy (CTC) of the court ruling setting aside and nullifying the so called consent judgment by Justice Abang touted around by Mr. Pretty Okafor to lay claims to president of PMAN.A recent letter from the Registrar of Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment clearly buttressing our assertions on the present state of affairs in PMAN.Photographs of the inauguration of the new PMAN Caretaker Committee by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on 12thJuly 2016.

“A copy of the petition written to the police by Mr. Harris Ibezim Okeilo who acted as the treasurer to Mr. Pretty Okafor but who has since regretted his role in the fraudulent actions of Mr. Okafor using the name of PMAN to defraud corporate organizations.”

Kelvin’s petition to IGP ended with the following requests: “Investigate and verify the sources of all monies obtained by Mr. Pretty Okafor fraudulently by using the name of PMAN.

Investigate all the bank accounts opened illegally in the name of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor for the sole purpose of laundering the proceeds of his scam from corporate organizations.Get Mr. Pretty Okafor to account for all monies he obtained from all sources by illegally using the name of PMAN

Prosecute Mr. Pretty Okafor for all his criminal acts of obtaining huge sums of money using the name of PMAN.”

As at the time of filing this report, there was no word of reaction from Okafor or Kenny, while we keep monitoring development on this issue.

 

SEE BELOW THE FULL PETITION TO NIGERIA’S INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

The Inspector General of Police

Police Headquarters

Louis Edet House

Abuja, FCT

 

Dear Sir,

ILLEGAL USE OF THE NAME OF THE PERFORMING MUSICIANS EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA – PMAN TO OBTAIN MONEY AND OFFICIAL ACCESS BY DECEPTION AND FALSE PRETENCE BY MR. PRETTY OKAFOR, MR. KENNY GEORGE

On the 12th of July, 2016, a new National Caretaker Committee of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria – PMAN, was officially inaugurated by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige at the ministry’s office in Abuja. We have enclosed a recent letter from the Labour ministry to that effect, dated 26th July 2016 to buttress this fact and for your better understanding. The new PMAN National Caretaker Committee has been mandated with the responsibility to manage the affairs of the Union pending the conduct of a fresh National Delegate Conference, amongst others.

For your further better understanding, PMAN as a trade union was registered in 1984 under the Trade Unions Act and its activities are regulated by the Registrar of the Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

For some years now, there has been intra-union bickering and controversy amongst our members which principally centers on leadership tussle. As a result of leadership crisis inherent in the union and to resolve all claims to leadership, the new Caretaker Committee under the Chairmanship of Gabriel Kelvin Lucciano was inaugurated after an elaborate nationwide PMAN referendum and consultations which was submitted to the Registrar of Trade Unions which culminated to the Honourable Minister’s inauguration of the committee on the 12thJuly 2016.

As a Trade Union, PMAN has its constitution which stipulates the processes that must be followed to produce a legitimate President that presides over the affairs of the Union. The said processes are contained in Rules 8 of PMAN Constitution. However, Rule 13 (4) may apply if the circumstance arises. This Constitution is subsisting till date. It is on record that the only legitimate executive of PMAN before the ensuing of the current crisis was as a result of the PMAN NDC which was held in Kaduna in 2005 which elected Bolaji Rosiji and subsequently produced, Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as the legitimate president of PMAN.

Owing to the crisis in PMAN, some group of people including one Mr. Pretty Okafor, Mr. Kenny George and Mr. Ibezimako among others instituted a suit before the Federal High Court, Lagos in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/919/2012 and on the 31st day of October, 2014 the Honourable Justice O.E. Abang gave them a consent judgment. The existence of the suit was not made known to the Trustees of PMAN which as at the last known constituted executives of PMAN included Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as President and Engr. George Dureke as 1st Vice President as stipulated in Rule 13 of the PMAN Constitution, neither were their consents obtained before the suit and judgment in the name of the Union.

We were amazed that sometime in November, 2014 this same group of people led by one Mr. Pretty Okafor was parading a judgment of the Federal High Court asserting right to the Union’s leadership. We swung into action and discovered that the matter was filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos in 2012 long after the Federal High Court’s powers to handle Trade Union matters was taken away and given exclusively to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. Effectively, federal high courts have no jurisdiction over Trade Union Disputes henceforth.

We mandated our lawyers to set aside the judgment after which they subsequently filed papers before Justice O.E. Abang drawing the Honourable Judge’s attention to the clear Constitutional provisions as to the limit of the Federal High Court over a Trade Union matters and the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court over all Trade Union matters.

On the 14th of April, 2016, the said fraudulent consent judgment was set aside by the same federal high court having accepted its lack of jurisdiction while upholding the exclusive jurisdiction of the Nigerian Industrial Court over the matter. With the recent setting aside and voiding of the frivolous claim to presidency of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor, his claims has effectively come to a conclusive end.

Sir, it has also become clear that soon after the so called “consent judgment” Mr. Pretty Okafor and his team embarked on an elaborate plan to scam and defraud the unsuspecting Nigerian corporate community including the following:

Airtel

MTN

Heritage Bank

Diamond Bank etc

They have subsequently obtained over one hundred million naira from these unsuspecting organizations and many others under false pretences and misrepresentation using the name of PMAN. They have received and laundered the proceeds of their scam through various illegal bank accounts opened in the name of PMAN without the consent and authorization of the trustees of PMAN.

These fraudulent bank accounts include those they operate at Heritage Bank and Diamond Bank in Lagos. For the purpose of clarity, the following bank accounts have been used by Mr. Pretty Okafor and his accomplices to fraudulently obtain and launder various large amounts of money from corporate organizations using the name of PMAN:

Heritage Bank account number 0002775335 = N12,000,000

2nd Heritage Bank number 5100155938 = N80,000,000

Diamond Bank account number 0056423168 = N 2,000,000

Sir, we the members of the newly inaugurated PMAN Caretaker Committee hereby humbly and graciously plead that your good offices should cease to deal with Mr. Pretty Okafor as the president of PMAN or any other matters relating to the music industry in the name of PMAN. Mr. Pretty Okafor is not and has never been the president of PMAN or any of its committee in any legal manner whatsoever. Mr. Pretty Okafor is in fact not a card carrying member of PMAN.

For your further better understanding, we have attached the following documents:

Full texts of the certified true copy (CTC) of the court ruling setting aside and nullifying the so called consent judgment by Justice Abang touted around by Mr. Pretty Okafor to lay claims to president of PMAN.A recent letter from the Registrar of Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment clearly buttressing our assertions on the present state of affairs in PMAN.Photographs of the inauguration of the new PMAN Caretaker Committee by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on 12thJuly 2016.A copy of the petition written to the police by Mr. Harris Ibezim Okeilo who acted as the treasurer to Mr. Pretty Okafor but who has since regretted his role in the fraudulent actions of Mr. Okafor using the name of PMAN to defraud corporate organizations.

We would appreciate your kind assistance by instituting a thorough investigation to:

Investigate and verify the sources of all monies obtained by Mr. Pretty Okafor fraudulently by using the name of PMAN.Investigate all the bank accounts opened illegally in the name of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor for the sole purpose of laundering the proceeds of his scam from corporate organizations.Get Mr. Pretty Okafor to account for all monies he obtained from all sources by illegally using the name of PMANProsecute Mr. Pretty Okafor for all his criminal acts of obtaining huge sums of money using the name of PMAN.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Lucciano Gabriel, Esq.

Chairman, PMAN Caretaker Committee.

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House Of Reps committee indicts oil firms for tax evasion….

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….As FIRS rejects allegations by the House Committee that he is not doing enough to recover outstanding taxes and bring evaders to book..

 

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the Structure and Accountability of Joint Venture (JV) Business and Production Sharing Contract (PSC) of NNPC has indicted several oil companies for alleged tax evasion to the tune of trillions of naira.

The committee also blamed and seek the prosecution of the Chairperson of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mamman Nami, for allegedly not doing enough to recover the outstanding taxes from the oil companies, a charge the FIRS boss rejected, saying his agency is working hard to bring all tax evaders to book.

Responding to the allegations levelled against his boss by the committee, the spokesperson for the FIRS chairperson, Johannes Oluwatobi Wojuola, described the claim as untrue, telling PREMIUM TIMES the tax agency is investigating and prosecuting several tax offenders.

According to the report obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), investigation by the committee span 1991 till date with alleged tax evasion running into trillions of naira.

The report is expected to be laid before the lawmakers this week.

The ad hoc committee investigation, chaired by Abubakar Fulata, revealed that the JVs and PSCs of NNPC sold Nigerian oil at lowest cost to their own subsidiaries in a ”tax haven”.

The committee alleged that the company subsequently sold the same oil to other buyers at full price, while inflating the cost of their Nigerian production operations and under-reporting the volume of oil they produced.

This, apart from outright circumvention of the Nigerian tax laws, the committee said is abusive and contrived tax avoidance scheme to minimise their tax liability.

The ad hoc committee is praying the house to adopt the recommendations with a view to bringing sanity in the oil and gas operation in Nigeria.

This according to the report of the committee would be a greater benefit to the citizens.

The committee report also showed that all international and national oil companies who enjoyed capital allowance in Nigeria had no Certificate of Acceptance of Fixed Asset (CAFA) as prescribed by the Industrial Inspectorate Act.

The report, however, said all oil companies that benefited from capital allowance without obtaining CAFA as prescribed by the Industrial Inspectorate Act be made to refund all the monies to the government treasury.

NAN reports that on 1 November, 2022 the House ad hoc committee investigating the structure and accountability of the Joint Venture (JV) Businesses and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCS) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Limited began probing oil companies accused of tax evasion.

The probe was at the backdrop of alleged tax evasion by some oil companies operating in Nigeria, which led to the constitution of the committee by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.

Mr Fulata, at a meeting with stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, cited relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“This committee is relying on Section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and we are asking heads of agencies who failed to forward their submissions to do so.

“This committee cannot fail in its mandate and we might resort to the use of Police and other security agencies to compel heads of agencies to do so.”

Mr Fulata decried that tax evasion by oil companies, particularly the International Oil Companies (IOCs) has negatively affected the revenue for the country.

Mr Fulata has expressed disappointment that several letters of invitation sent out to some organisations were not responded to, revealing that those who responded did so shabbily.

NAN reports that on 16 November, 2022, the house committee summoned the chairman of the FIRS.

The representatives of the FIRS, a director and special assistant, were not permitted by members of the committee to make presentations as they insisted that only the chairman is expected to speak on behalf of the agency.

The FIRS representatives had earlier told the committee that the service does not have access to the Stock Certificate of crude oil being lifted.

The representatives said the tax agency only relied on the invoice produced and presented to it by the oil companies. The committee then described the arrangement as ridiculous.

(NAN)

 

 

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Dapo Abiodun, Amosun Trade Words Over Dangote Refinery Siting In Lagos

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Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun and his predecessor, Ibikunle Amosun have traded blames over the siting of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos State.

The refinery with capacity to produce 650,000 barrels per day which is owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote was inaugurated on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari and four other African Presidents.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Sowunmi reportedly blamed the Ogun State Government for losing the siting of the behemoth Dangote Refinery to neighbouring Lagos State.

Interestingly, both Amosun, who was the Ogun State governor from 2011 to 2019; and Abiodun who has been the governor since 2019, attended the inauguration of the refinery.

The two politicians are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but operate from opposing camps in the state with Amosun preferring another candidate over Abiodun who won his re-election in the March 2023 poll.

‘Amosun Frustrated Dangote’s Efforts To Locate Refinery In Ogun’
In a statement, Abiodun’s Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin said it is painful that the huge investment that should have accrued to the state was lost, especially when the mega project had been initially planned to be located at the Olokola Free Trade Zone, in the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state.

“In truth, everyone knows that Segun Sowunmi is referring to the immediate past governor, Ibikunle Amosun, as the man who frustrated the efforts to locate the refinery in Ogun State.

“We are all aware that the penultimate administration made appreciable and concerted efforts to ensure that the Olokola deep sea port and other ancillary projects in the OKFTZ, become a reality, by rallying major players in the oil and gas sector, including Dangote Group.

“The present governor, Dapo Abiodun, served as the Chairman of the Committee on the Olokola Free Trade Zone projects during the first term of the immediate past governor,” the statement partly read.

Dangote Took Business Decisions — Amosun
However, Amosun, in a counter-statement by his media office signed by Bola Adeyemi, said the Olokola Free Trade Zone project was not solely owned by the Ogun State Government.

He noted that Dangote took a business decision by siting the refinery in Lagos after initial consideration for the Olokola Free Trade Zone.

“From its conception in 2007, it was a Joint Venture. The Federal Government of Nigeria owned the majority 51%, Ondo State Goverment (14.5%), Ogun State Goverment (14.5%), and strategic core investors (20%). Alhaji Aliko Dangote, according to the information availed us when we took office, subsequently bought, and took over the 20% equity of the core investors,” the statement partly read.

“Ogun State was a minority equity stakeholder only, without proprietary strength and capacity to take sole decisions on the Joint Venture enterprise.

“As mere holder of 14.5% equity interest, it is most uncharitable for anyone to churn out lies that Ogun State was in a position to unilaterally frustrate the project or was responsible for the logjam.

“With respect to all sides, it accords more with logic to appreciate the fact that Alhaji Aliko Dangote took business decisions of his own in accordance with the goals of his business strategy and risk assessment.

“No amount of concocted lies, blackmail and orchestrated falsehood will blight these unparalleled facts.

“It is, therefore, interesting to read that the present Ogun State governor holds me responsible for allegedly scuttling the Olokola project.”

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FrieslandCampina WAMCO DDP Revolution Delivers Nigeria’s First Girolando Crossbreeds

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FrieslandCampina WAMCO DDP Revolution

Delivers Nigeria’s First Girolando Crossbreeds

 

FrieslandCampina WAMCO has announced the successful crossbreeding and birth of 25 Crossbreed Girolando calves achieved locally across various farms in Oyo, Ogun and Kwara states, thus spearheading a production revolution and transformation of Nigeria’s dairy sector.  

 

The announcement made by the dairy company’s Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Ore Famurewa, explained that the Girolando breed is a composite of ‘Milking Gir’ from Brazil and Holstein Friesian from the Netherlands and has produced tremendous results for many decades in Brazil, leading to its transformation to a world power in dairy production. 

 

“In addition to having a high milk yield, the Girolando breed is heat-tolerant, tick-borne disease resistant and possesses other characteristics ideal for production in tropical countries like Nigeria. The Girolando calves are the first generation of a new high milk producing breed in Nigeria” Famurewa said.

 

FrieslandCampina WAMCO continues to contribute to the development of the dairy sector and national food security through its Dairy Development activities and partnerships such as the Value4Dairy Consortium.

 

Launched in April 2021, the Value4Dairy Consortium made up of four strategic partners namely FrieslandCampina WAMCO (Nigeria’s foremost dairy Company), URUS (the largest cow genetics company in the world), Barenbrug (a leading grass seed company) and Agrifirm (a leading feed and supplement company in the Netherlands).

 

The consortium is making progress in implementing sustainable strategies to fast-track growth and development of the Nigerian dairy sector, with proven track records in various agri-related value chains.

 

Two partners of the Consortium, FrieslandCampina WAMCO and URUS Group LP, the global leader in cattle breeding and dairy herd management programs, selected the Girolando breed for introduction to Nigeria and subsequently signed an agreement with a local breeding farm-SMAP Farms Limited. The strategic partnership will maximize success in crossbreeding and increased milk yields on local farms in a sustainable way.

 

In 2022, 1400 Girolando semen straws were produced and 610 artificial inseminations achieved, and 25 Crossbreed Girolando calves have been birthed till date. FrieslandCampina WAMCO sees this key milestone achievement as an important step to give smallholder farmers access to affordable good yield dairy cows in Nigeria.

 

FrieslandCampina WAMCO and other partners of the Value4Dairy Consortium remain committed to providing scalable solutions to agri-related challenges in the Nigerian dairy sector. 

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