After several moves to woo investors by the state, the Niger State Government said on Thursday that it has started yielding fruitful dividends as a private investor has decided to invest N6 billion into two milk factories in Minna and Agwarra towns in the state.
The Commissioner for Livestock and Fisheries Development, Dr. Yisa Yahaya Vatsa, who disclosed this to newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council meeting held in Minna, noted that the agreement reached with the investor required that the State Government will only provide 10 hectares of land each at the two locations for the establishment of the factories in addition to constructing collection centres.
Vatsa said the factory, Dada Dairy Processing Limited, is to establish its plants in Minna and Agwara towns under the terms of an agreement reached between the state and the company.
According to him: “The plant, when operational, most likely within the next one year, will engage 150,000 workers and produce 30 million litres of milk in the first one year, with the possibility of expanding to produce over 100 million litres in another four years.”
Vatsa explained that the decision of the company to invest in Niger State followed favourable return from a feasibility study carried out in some states in the Northern part of the country, notably Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory, which showed that the peaceful nature of Niger State will make the business to thrive.
He explained that the produce from the factories will be edible even after 12 months of its packing, describing the proposed project as the first of its kind in West Africa.
Also speaking at the post executive council briefing, the Commissioner for Transport, Malam Garba Mohammed, disclosed that government had not abandoned its plan to phase out commercial motorcycles, otherwise known as Okada, as a means of transportation in the state.
Garba said Government was delaying the enforcement of the law because it has not been able to get the maximum number of tricycles needed in Minna.
However the commissioner said with the arrival of 300 more tricycles and the approval of N95 million to facilitate the importation of 292 more tricycles, the plan to ban okada will soon become reality.
He said Government is banning the use of commercial motor cycles because of its attendant dangers to their users.
Trending
- Simi to feature on Glo sponsored African Voices
- EFCC cell, a status symbol — Cubana Chief Priest
- Chess: Tinubu congratulates Onakoya on Guinness World Record
- Police arrest four men over tricycles theft in Lagos
- APC Primary: Voters disperse as violence breaks out at voting centre in Okitipupa
- Ondo APC Primary: Edema faults process, calls for postponement
- Soludo unhappy as Anambra burial laws ignored at Ezeife’s funeral
- Ondo poll: Aspirants fault process, calls for cancellation