Bauchi unveils 10 million tons-capacity cement factory in Alkaleri LG

By Samuel Luka,
Bauchi

The governor of Bauchi state, senator Bala Mohammed has launched the drilling campaign of 10 million tons-capacity Resident Cement in Diji Village, Gwana district of Alkaleri local government area.

While speaking on Tuesday, Governor Mohammed described the official launching of the drilling campaign as a significant milestone and the beginning of a new era of economic prosperity and development in the state.

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At the events

According to him, Bauchi’s strategic partnership with Resident Cement Company and other stakeholders has yielded fruitful results by unlocking the vast mineral resources of Bauchi State, assuring investors of a conducive business environment.

“Today is the climax of what we have set out to do from 2019 as a movement under the PDP. We are here to open new frontiers, to bring some leadership re-engineering by doing things that would make everybody actualize his or her own aspiration, and most importantly, our aspiration”, he said.

Governor Mohammed who thanked the Chairman of the cement factory, Dr. Junaidu Abbas Waziri for investing in Bauchi state, assured him of security to his invested wealth in the area.

Governor Mohammed who said his administration will not put personal interest in the business, emphasized the state’s commitment to harnessing its natural resources for rapid socioeconomic growth and development.

The Governor said at inception in 2019, he inherited a feasibility study of the project with the Americans, with MoU signed by his predecessors for the development of the industry.

He however, recalled that after the expiration of the time line of MoU with the Americans without result, he contacted Dangote group and Alhaji Rabiu personally to take up the project but they didn’t showed any interest, before Dr. Junaid came from nowhere and promised to deploy $1.5 billion Dollars to do the project.

The governor who disclosed that Bauchi state government is going to own 10 percent of the project, assured that the state under his stewardship will keep on opening its doors to investors in line the government’s efforts towards diversifying the state’s economy, creating jobs, and empowering the youths.

Mohammed while advising the resident cement company to carry the host community along in its employment opportunities, said as a government, his administration has built schools, hospitals, roads, among other dividends of democracy.

Earlier speaking, Chairman of Resident Cement Company Ltd, Dr. Abbas Waziri Junaid commended Governor Mohammed for creating an enabling environment for investment, highlighting the company’s plans to embark on additional projects that will drive public-private partnerships for sustainable growth and economic stability.

Dr. Junaid who assured the people of Bauchi state that his company came prepared for real business, said the project has secured all the necessary funding to succeed.

“Since we started here in the last eight months to date we have not stopped for one day, this is to prove that the limestone deposit in Bauchi, in Gwana and in Alkaleri local government is good enough to establish a cement plant “, he said.

According to him, the cement plant will attract thousands of employment opportunities and as such, the people of Bauchi state should take the available chance because the company is going to employ 3000 drivers to man the operational vehicles.

Dr. Junaid pledged that in the next three months, the area will change to a proper industrial zone with a beehive of economic activities, urging the people of Bauchi state provide accommodation, hotels, water and other social amenities for the workers and others business owners to use and stay comfortable within the cement factory.

The event was attended by dignitaries from across the state and beyond, including the Emir of Bauchi, Alh Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, and the Chairman of Resident Cement Company Ltd, Dr. Abbas Waziri Junaid.