The Group Managing Director (GMD), Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Dr Raymond Asemakaha, has said the revival of industries in Benue State is aimed at improving the wellbeing of the people and creating jobs and markets for farmers.
Asemakaha spoke during the commencement of the test run of production at Taraku Mills, which has received 300 tonnes of soybeans as raw material following its rehabilitation.
He said the revival of the once-dormant industry was part of the government’s deliberate effort to bring moribund enterprises back to life and strengthen the state’s agro-industrial capacity.
According to him, state-owned enterprises must deliver results rather than merely provide salaries for workers.
“Those factories must work deliberately for the benefit of our people. A state-owned enterprise is not just about sitting down and collecting salaries. It is about working and delivering results.
“We must take charge of moribund industries. We are ensuring that the dead balance sheet has come back to life.
“Today’s exercise is to ensure that our Golden Soya Oil comes back before the end of this year. I am assuring the people of Benue that they will soon have the oil.”
Asemakaha said the revival of Taraku Mills would provide a ready market for soybean and grain farmers while creating direct and indirect employment.
He said farmers would soon begin to derive greater value from their produce, noting that improved market access was already boosting returns in some areas.
The BIPC boss, however, lamented the state’s high unemployment rate and farmers’ difficulty in accessing markets, saying the revitalisation of the company would help address both challenges.
Speaking on the production process, the Plant Manager, Engr. James Tergu Ikuve, said the 300 metric tonnes of soybeans had entered the purification stage, to be followed by crushing, oil extraction and refining.
Meanwhile, the Taraku community youth leader, Comrade Iortuhwa Richard, commended Governor Hyacinth Alia for reviving the facility, describing it as a dividend of democracy.
He said the community had faced challenges in protecting the facility from vandalism but had worked to overcome them.
“We encountered some challenges, but we tried our best to overcome them, and today, the factory has commenced production.”
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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