The Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) has commenced an audit of the assets of the Katsina-Ala Yam Flour Processing Factory as part of efforts to revive the moribund facility.
The audit, conducted on Saturday, aims to assess the condition of the factory’s equipment and determine the technical and operational requirements for restoring production.
The Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr Raymond Asemakaha, expressed concern about the quality of some of the equipment used in the factory’s assembly, describing it as low-grade and sub-standard.
Asemakaha said he doubted the functionality of some of the machinery, adding that the concerns were further confirmed by foreign technicians engaged by BIPC to participate in the assessment.
According to him, the technicians observed that some of the machinery was made from low-grade metals, raising concerns about their functionality, durability and ability to meet the specifications required by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The BIPC GMD said the company had invited the promoter of Founders Investment Limited, which purchased, supplied and installed the machinery, as well as the promoter of Bimalp West Africa Limited, the consultant for the Benue State Government on the project at the time, to participate in assessing and addressing the issues surrounding the equipment.
He said the revival of the factory was in line with the directive of Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia to resuscitate moribund industries across the three senatorial zones of the state.
Asemakaha also disclosed that BIPC had paid five months of salary arrears owed to security personnel at the facility, following the governor’s directive.
“For too long, the factory has been silent. But silence is about to end. BIPC is here to assess, to plan, and to revive,” he said.
He stressed the importance of adding value to agricultural produce, noting that developed economies grow by processing raw materials into finished products rather than exporting them in their raw form.
“Poor nations sell raw materials while rich nations sell finished products,” Asemakaha said, adding that every dormant industrial asset represents lost opportunities and jobs, particularly for young people.
He said the revival of the yam flour factory would benefit farmers, create employment opportunities for youths and strengthen local value addition by processing crops produced in Benue.
The BIPC GMD said the company was adopting what he described as the “Cash Box Model Economic” approach to drive the state’s economy.
He explained that the model focuses on activating dormant assets, adding value to agricultural produce, creating jobs and generating sustainable economic activities across Benue.
The Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, represented by his deputy, Hon. Christopher Chia, commended Governor Alia for taking steps to revive the factory.
Chia described the initiative as an important intervention that would contribute to economic development and create opportunities for residents of the local government area and the state.
The plant’s Desk Officer, Aondoakaa Bernard, disclosed that the factory was established in 2014 but was subsequently abandoned.
He said the facility currently has a capacity of about 60 metric tonnes of raw materials and 20 metric tonnes of finished products.
The ongoing audit is expected to provide BIPC with the technical and operational assessment needed to develop a roadmap for the resuscitation of the Katsina-Ala Yam Flour Processing Factory.
