From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Chief Executive Officer CEO of Taraba Investment and property Limited, Mr. Iliya Ezekiel on Sunday disclosed that the state government has commenced sensitisation with ten host community on the Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna Local Government Area of the state over plans by government to privatised the multi billion Naira state owned Mambilla Beverages Limited.
Iliya, who stated this while briefing journalists in Kakara town, Mambilla Plateau said the sensitisation is to educate the people of the benefit they would derive at the end of the exercise.
The CEO who noted that government would owe 30% while the remaining 70% will be privatized, stressed that the host community preferred foreigners to manage the company than Nigerian investors.
“We are happy that the host communities welcome the idea of the privatisation. They have told us that they are all happy with the development, because it is what is happening in the whole world today.
“Privatisation is aimed to restructure the company to maximum output and government is not selling the company to an individual person as speculated. In fact, nothing changes in the company, 30% will be for government while 70% will be privatized in order to improve profitability, productivity, efficiency and job opportunities for the benefits of Tarabans” he maintained.
He urged the general public to disregard any erroneous impression that Mambila Beverages (Nig) Limited belongs to a particular community, insisting that it is a state owned company and belongs to all the people of the state.
Meanwhile, the General Manager, of Taraba Vegetable Company (Taraba GreenHouse) Mr. Japheth Yakubu has denied media reports that the management of the farm has sacked over three hundred of its workers.
Japheth who spoke on Sunday explained that the staff strength in the farm is not even up one hundred and fifty and wondered where the figures been paraded were manufactured.
The GM noted that, in accordance with company policy, some staff who were found stealing farm produce and equipment and posed a threat to the company were laid off and maintained that attributing the increasing rate of insecurity currently experienced in parts of the state to the said disengagement of service of the state agro company was very mischievous.
“Taraba has been witnessing insecurity before they were relieved of their jobs. I want to state categorically that their disengagement has nothing to do with the security challenges facing the state. Quite to the contrary, the disengagement of those bad eggs has brought peace and tranquility in the farm. The farm lost over N3Mn in three days due to stealing of crops and activities of these people”.