Gov. Sani Bello – We have the biggest landmass, and large farming population
The Buckstallker Engineering, is to establish plants to produce tricycles in 12 states in the country including Niger State worth 3.2bn US dollars.
The Executive Chairman, Buckstalker Engineering, Manasseh Joshua, stated this when he led a team of investors to Government House Minna, the state capital, to intimate the State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, about the project..
Mr. Joshua explained that the tricycles would be produced in partnership with a South Korean Company and in two types – trucks and passengers.
The executive chairman said the tricycles which are specifically designed for Nigerian roads, are to help farmers to convey goods and services from hinterlands to urban centers, adding that it would also boost agriculture in the state.
He said 12 states were selected across the country based on their comparative advantages of Agricultural potentials, adding that the Minna site had already been inspected, and work on the project would soon commence.
The executive chairman further explained that the plant would create direct and indirect job opportunities for about 5,000 people in the state, and that the company will bring in 266 expatriates.
“The employment is endless, indigenes will be employed, it’s a long chain of advantages. This is just a tip of an iceberg.
“We have already procured the land, and we are set to go. … we are 95% done to start the project all over the country. The project is private sector driven,” he said.
Responding, Gov. Sani Bello applauded the effort of the company, maintaining that they are in the right place considering that the state has the biggest landmass in the country, and a large farming population.
The governor said though the state is faced with insecurity which has reduced farming activities in the state, he, however, expressed optimism that the insecurity would soon be a thing of the past as significant success is being recorded in the fight against terrorism.
He assured them of government support to ensure the desired result is achieved.
According to the governor, “with the right intervention and political will, Niger state can be the food basket of not only Nigeria but West Africa as a whole.”
He informed the investors that the state government has designated a place in Dikko as an Industrial Estate for big factories to establish their factories.
He asked the company to apply for a land at the Industrial Estate to site a factory, assuring them of government’s efforts to take advantage of the presence of the four hydroelectricity dams in the state to ensure steady power supply at the Industrial Estate.
The governor, however, said that the land must be put to use within 2years, else it will be revoked.
