Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia, has disclosed that he is currently working on revamping and building a minimum of 10 industries within the first four years of his administration.
This is even as the governor also said he is very much aware that Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) needs liquidity of not less than N7 billion to drive the industrial revolution, adding that his administration is working towards achieving it.
Governor Alia, who spoke at the commissioning of Benue Investment and Property Company Limited, BIPC, bakery, water, emperor fertilizer and motorcycle hire purchase scheme in Makurdi, commended the managing director of the company, Raymond Asemakaha and his team for their hard work and dedication in making the projects a reality.
He said the bakery which is a state- of- the – art facility would provide fresh, wholesome bread to citizens of Benue, provide healthy living and catering the needs of communities, while the water factory would produce clean, affordable and potable water as well as help bridge the gap in the availability of clean drinking water to ensure that every household has access to safe and healthy water.
Governor Alia also revealed that the Emperor fertiliser would be a game-changer for farmers, providing them with high quality fertiliser to boost crop yields and enhance agricultural productivity, adding that the motorcycle hire purchase scheme is an initiative of the company and would empower the youths by providing them with means of income to improve their standard of living.
According to him, the motorcycle hire purchase scheme would not only create jobs but also stimulate economic activities thereby enabling the youth to become productive members of society.
“My administration intends to support BIPC with an equity stake to float a brewery and establish a juice factory, address issues of insecurity to create a conducive environment for investors, and my administration is equally offering tax holiday to investors who are willing to invest or already doing business in the state,” he stated.
Earlier, the managing director of the BIPC, Raymond Asemakaha said, plans are underway to employ at least one million Benue citizens before the end of Governor Alia’s administration.
He said, “To empower Benue farmers and boost agricultural productivity, BIPC has established a state-of-the-art chemical fertiliser blending plant, the Emperor Fertiliser which is specially formulated to enhance crop yields and promote healthy soil.
“The Emperor Fertiliser is poised to revolutionise the agricultural landscape of our state. Furthermore, in our pursuit to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment, we have introduced a pioneering Motorcycle Hire Purchase Scheme. Our research has revealed that commercial motorcycles, commonly known as “Okada,” contribute significantly to employment among our youth.
“This innovative scheme aims to empower our young people by providing them with affordable access to motorcycles, paving the way for further expansion into tricycles and cars in the future.”