…targets 30,000 direct jobs

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with Rexzodeneh Group to establish the Benue Food City Complex to generate about 30,000 direct jobs for the youths of the state.

The agro project would be sited in Otukpo Local Government Area, LGA, of the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Prof. Moses Ogbaji who signed the MOU on behalf of the state government in Makurdi urged the contractor to deliver the project in record time.

While describing the project as worthy, Prof. Ogbaji warned that “government will not hesitate to terminate the contract and sanction the contractor if he fails to deliver the project according to specification.”
The Commissioner for Transport and Renewable Energy, Mr. Omale Omale and his Trade and Investment counterpart, Alumo Orpin both expressed optimism that the project would be of immense benefit to the state and provide job opportunities for the people.

The lawmaker representing Otukpo/Akpa State Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Kennedy Angbo lauded Governor Hyacinth Alia for the choice of Otukpo to site the project.

While assuring the support of the host community to ensure the success of the project, the lawmaker noted that it would create job opportunities for the people of the area.

The Executive Secretary of Benue Investment Promotion Agency, Terhemen Kpankaan assured that necessary due diligence had been carried out on the company handling the project to ensure it was delivered according to specification.

The Project manager, Abusafiah Ramzy said “the project has been understudied for the past three years and it has the capacity to generate between 20 and 30 thousand direct jobs for the youths.

While the Managing Director of the firm, Remi Apata assured that much progress would be recorded at the project site in the coming three months, the Project Coordinator, Bishop Ekwo Ajeibi expressed confidence that the project would transform Otukpo and the state at large into an agro processing hub.