Nigerian appointed head of world oil palm body

The president of the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), Ambassador Alphonsus Inyang, has been unanimously elected as the chairman of the General Assembly of the World Coalition of Oil Palm Smallholders (WCOPS), East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

His election has been described as a welcome development for Nigeria’s oil palm industry.

The General Assembly is the highest decision-making organ of the organisation.

The WCOPS is the body formed by the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) and supported by the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia, SOLIDARIDAD, Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and global oil palm producers is dedicated for the promotion of smallholders worldwide.

Amb Inyang, who is also the vice president, Africa and the Middle East of the coalition, was elected alongside Dr Gulat Manurung of Indonesia as president; Dr Napoleon Ningkos of Malaysia as vice president, Asia and Europe; Mr Tuan Haji Azimi Bin Hassan of Malaysia, vice president, Asia, Pacific and The Occeania; Mr Allan of Hounduras, vice president, The Americas; Dr Djono Albar Burhan of Indonesia as executive director.

Dr Paul Amaning of Ghana was appointed Director of Digitalisation and Innovation.

At the General Meeting of the coalition held in the new capital city of Indonesia, East Kalimantan during the International Oil Palm Smallholders Forum, delegates numbering over 400 from around the world and with high level participation from CPOPC, RSPO, SOLIDARIDAD, Indonesia Palm Oil Association (IPOA), Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Malaysia Palm Oil Council(MPOC), Indonesia Oil Palm Plantations Fund Management Agency (BPDP) Indonesian and Malaysian Governments, were unanimous in their resolve to fight for the rights of over 50 million smallholders globally.

Inyang, who has been championing the rights and interests of smallholders, is also the vice chairman, Technical Working Group, Nigerian Oil Palm Development Strategy (2026-2050), Focal Person of CPOPC in Nigeria, international Resource person on Oil Palm, leader of the National Engagement Group on Palm Biomass Valorisation, speaker in various international oil palm events globally, and has promised to represent Africa well in the coalition.

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