John Adams in Minna

Farmers in Zungeru, Wushishi Local Government, Niger State, received with excitement and great relief the news of the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between the state government and a foreign firm for the resuscitation of the state owned fertilizer plant abandoned 20 years ago.

It is not only the farmers in Zungeru and its environs that stand to benefit from the revival of this fertilizer plant, the over 40,000 registered farmers in the state can heave a sigh of relief when the plant began full operation in six months time going by the terms of the agreement.

The fertilizer was established in 1998 by the military administration of late Police Commissioner Simeon Oduoye. It was abandoned in 1999 after only one year of operation.

The fanfare and excitement that accompanied the commissioning of the plant by the late Military Head of state, General Sani Abacha was short-lived as the plant folded up almost immediately. The plant with an installed capacity of 21,120 metric tonnes per annum using locally fabricated machines was conceived with the primary aim of meeting the domestic need of the people of the state.

However, with the new agreement, production is expected to rise from the initial installed capacity to 100,000 metric tones per day in the first year. This is expected to rise to 300,000 metric tones per day in subsequent years through the importation, installation and utilization of modern machines and equipment.

To achieve this, workers are expected to operate eight hours shift per day and 22 working days per month.

According to the MoU, the Dubai firm is to resuscitate the plant and operate it for the period of 25/years before transfer it to the government.

The Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane signed the agreement for the government while Mr Tahir Quresh initialled the document for the firm.

The agreement which provides that actual work should start in the blending plant within six months also showed that the Dubai company will inject about $12m into the procurement of new machines for the plant.

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Speaking shortly after signing ceremony of the MoU at the government house in Minna, the secretary to the state government said agriculture cannot be modernized without the use of fertilizers and mechanized farming implements  which is why the government is determined to revamp the fertilizer blending plant.

He assured  that raw materials are readily available in the state for the plant to operate  pointing out that there is also abundant labour  .

The state Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and Cooperative, Dr. Jibril Mustapha disclosed that when the plant becomes operational it will generate N4m monthly for the government apart from employing a large number of  graduates and non graduates.

Mustspha disclosed that the state government has provided additional land and security for the company, adding that the state  and the 25 local government councils in the state also have 45% share in the plant.

The Commissioner said “this is  one of the efforts of the Government  to boost the economy of the state to achieve accelerated development”

Speaking on behalf of the Company Mr. Tahir Quresh promised that everything will be done to ensure the early takeoff of the plant.

The District Head of Zungeru, Alhaji Salihu Abubakar who was full of excitement over planned revival of the plant, described the development as a huge relief to the community the entire farmers in the state.

Alhaji Abubakar who spoke to our correspondent in Hausa, believed that when the plant become operational, farmers will not heave a sigh of relief, will provide some jobs for youths in the area, adding that “this is the best thing that has happened to the community in recent time”.

The District Head regretted that every successful administration has paid lips service to the resuscitation of the plant, but expressed gratitude to the present administration for it foresight towards reviving the plant for the benefit of farmers in the state.

He therefore believed that the fertilizer plant will boost farming activities not only within the immediate community, but the entire state, stressing that “fertilizer remains the greatest challenge to farmers in the state”.