Industrian magnate Chief Cletus Ibeto has announced a joint venture between his company and some Chinese partners to build two high-capacity cement factories in Nkalagu and Effium communities of Ebonyi State.
Chief Ibeto made this announcement on Friday in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State when he led a delegation of both groups on a courtesy visit to Gov. David Umahi.
Ibeto who is the lead partner of the projects, disclosed that the first factory will be situated beside the closed down Nigerian Cement Company (NIGERCEM) Nkalagu. He announced that it will produce 9, 000 metric tones of cement per day.
“We are not going to remove anything from the old plant but set up the new one beside the moribund factory.
“Nothing is going to be removed in the old plant and we would ensure that it would be completed on record-time.
“We would also commence another plant in Effium community but due to less availability of limestone deposit in the area, the factory would produce 3, 000 metric tone cement per day,” he said.
The Igbo captain of industry remarked that the team would be steady at the project sites as preliminary works would start immediately.
He said:
“We would ensure that all agreement reached during the contact signing in 2015 are met as the factories would ensure rapid economic development of the areas and the state.
“I congratulate the state governor for his infrastructural strides and pray that he assumes higher positions of authority in the country on completing his second tenure in 2023.”
Mr Chen Gong, Vice President of the Chinese partner company requested for the collaboration of the people to achieve success.
“We pledge to respect the laws and cultures of the areas the factories would be sited and ensure that the projects becomes monumental blessing to the people,” he said.
Ebonyi State Governor, Umahi on his part, thanked the team for the visit, stating that the state government would provide adequate security for the project.
“We would remain grateful to you for assisting us take-off as a government as you constantly advised me to embark on massive infrastructural development and empower the people.
“Some people who felt that you are not coming back to the state, turned your house into a Mecca, urging you to support a change of government but you stood for the truth.
“I am happy that the same people are hearing us presently as you also challenged the preceding government in the state for dethroning the traditional rulers of Nkalagu,” he said.
The Governor further congratulated Ibeto for the recent listing of his companies on a stock exchange in the US.
