NigerCem to commence production as Ebonyi, Ibeto sign pact

Cement production will soon commence at the Nigeria Cement Company in Nkalagu, Ebonyi State.
This followed the signing of deed of understanding/terms of settlement between  NIGERCEM and representatives of the four host communities -Nkalagu, Nkalaha, Umuhuali, Amaezu and the Ebonyi State Government.
With the signing of the pact in Abakaliki on Friday, the legal battle that had in the past affected the reopening of the once foremost indigenous cement production firm has been put to rest.
The parties resolved that papers be filed in court on Monday so that the suit filed by  Eastern BulkCem, a subsidiary of Ibeto Group, could be withdrawn.
The immediate past administration, led by Martin Elechi, had consistently closed the door for an out of court settlement against Dr. Cletus Ibeto, who had tried to revamp the cement factory, which was popularly known as Nkalagu Cement Factory.
In January 2015, for instance, the Elechi administration warned Ibeto Cement Company against what it called illegal entry into the premises of NigerCem premises, saying its  ownership was a subject of dispute in the courts.
But on Friday, an elated Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi; Ibeto; and the SSA to the Governor on Cement Production, Hon. Sunday  Ugwuocha, described the signing of the MoU as milestone towards the revitalisation of the company.
Governor Umahi, who said he had in line with the popular demand of the host communities promised to allow Ibeto revamp the firm, noted that the journey to its  realisation was not an easy one.
He said: “When we were campaigning under divine mandate platform, the only request that the communities made was that Ibeto  should be allowed to come and revamp NIGERCEM and we did promised them that that was going to be done.”
Engr. Umahi, who thanked the Cement Production Implementation Committee set up by his administration, for doing a good job, assured Ebonyi State people that their 10 per cent equity ownership of NIGERCEM was still intact.
He said: “Let me announce to Ebonyi people that our 10 per cent equity with NIGERCEM is still alive.”
He described the land of Ebonyi as a land made up of  limestone, gold, frankincense, silver, lead and zink among others.
Umahi added: “My prayers all the time is for the land of Ebonyi to vomit all the limestones, the gold, the frankincense, silver, the bauxite, lead, zink that the land has swallowed and it has to started with Ibeto.
The core investor, Dr. Ibeto, praised Umahi’s ruggedness, saying Ebonyians owed him (governor) for ensuring that the journey to revamp NigerCem started on a good footing.
He thanked governor Umahi for creating the enabling environment for the take off of NIGERCEM
The Chairman, Cement Implementation Committee, Chief Fidelis Nwankwo, in his  opening remarks had said the signing of the deeds marked the realisation of an age  long struggle by the Ibo race to revamp NigerCem.