•Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State
The Ebonyi State Elders Council has thrown its weight behind Governor Francis Nwifuru’s plan to revitalise the moribund Nigeria Cement Company (NIGERCEM) in Nkalagu.
It described the initiative as a strategic economic intervention that will drive industrialisation, create jobs and boost the state’s economy, reports The Nation.
Chairman of the Council, Chief Ben Okah, made this statement while speaking with journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, today.
Okah, who also chairs the 15-member Committee on the Revitalisation of NIGERCEM, dismissed suggestions that the proposed project was politically motivated.
He insisted that it was conceived solely to fulfil the governor’s promise to restore the once-thriving cement industry and stimulate economic growth.
According to him, the committee recommended establishing a new, modern cement factory at the NIGERCEM complex after assessing the condition of the existing facility.
He explained that the mining lease covering the NIGERCEM site had expired and was subject to statutory conditions, including the host community’s approval before any renewal.
“The mining lease is for a specified period. If somebody claims to have a mining lease, it has an expiration date and comes with conditions. The community has to accept it. Even for renewal, the community has to append its signature,” he said.
Okah said the host community had become increasingly concerned about the prolonged abandonment of the facility, which had remained idle for years despite its economic importance to the state.
He said the state government was committed to establishing a modern cement plant at the NIGERCEM site as part of Governor Nwifuru’s industrialisation agenda.
“There is nothing political about it. The governor has his political base, but this project is not about politics. It is a promise made to the people, and it is an economic promise because it will benefit the state,” he said.
The Elders Council chairman expressed optimism that work on the project would commence soon, adding that the Chinese contractors had assured the government of timely completion.
He said the proposed factory would be equipped with modern technology capable of meeting international production standards.
Okah acknowledged that an inadequate electricity supply remained a major challenge for industries in Nigeria, but disclosed that the project includes a dedicated five-megawatt gas-powered electricity plant to ensure uninterrupted operations.
According to him, the contractors will undertake the construction, transportation, site clearing, civil works, mechanical installations and other critical components before handing over the completed factory to the Ebonyi State government.
He also disclosed that Nkalagu and neighbouring Effium possess sufficient limestone deposits to sustain cement production for decades.
“We have 50 million tonnes of limestone in Nkalagu and 23 million tonnes in Effium. Combined, these deposits will sustain the factory for a minimum of 30 years,” he said.
Okah commended Governor Nwifuru for his commitment to reviving abandoned assets and promoting sustainable development across the state, describing the proposed cement factory as a legacy project that would benefit both present and future generations of Ebonyi people.
He urged residents to support the government in ensuring the successful revitalisation of NIGERCEM and the realisation of the state’s industrialisation agenda.
