John Adams in Minna
As part of its plan to boost food and cash crop production, the Niger state government is partnering with a foreign agro firm -JMarine Logistics Limited for the revival of the abandoned Niger Fertilizer plant in Zungeru.
The Zungeru Fertilizer plant was established by the military regime of Colonel Simeon Oduoye and had been abandoned for more than 20 years.
However the state government on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding MoU with a Dubai based firm, JMarine Logistics Limited for the resuscitation of the plant and its operation by the company for the next 25/years.
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 6 months also showed that the Dubai company will inject about $12m into the procurement of new machines for the plant.
In an address Matane 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 saying that the state and local governments also have a total of 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 .