INDUSTRAILISATION : Zulum Orders Upgrade At 5 Borno Factories, Targets 9 Others

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum directed the immediate upgrade of 5 factories currently operating at low production output.

The factories are the NEITAL Shoes which processes animal skin to leather, and finished shoes, and four factories located at an industrial hub established along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway by then Governor Kashim Shettima, in which 16-chain of factories were installed, most of them for production of plastic irrigation equipment, other plastic products, and processing of variety of agricultural produce.

Zulum, who toured factories in Maiduguri on Monday, said he was targeting the resuscitation of nine factories that will operate at their maximum production output.

There are 21 factory-projects in the State capital, some of which are either dormant, at take-off or at very low capacity utilization.

In a bid to take adventage of Borno’s geographical location with economic gateway to three countries, Zulum has intensified effort to resuscitate ailling industries hitherto abandoned.

In May this year, the Governor, had after needs assessment of industries across the State, constituted a technical committee he charged with resuscitation and full capacity utilization of all industries in the State.

The committee, under the leadership of Engr. Abatcha Jarawa, who is General Manager of Borno Plastic Company, had gone to work.

To supervise and see what the committee was achieving, Governor Zulum was at the NIETEL Shoe and Tenery Factory where low level operation was ongoing.

Zulum directed complete resuscitation of shoe processing section which was not in operation. The tenery section of the industry which processes animal skin ready for industrial production was in full operation. Zulum said full output of the company would create job opportunities to the teeming youth in the State.

Zulum also visited Borno’s Industrial Hub, where, as said earlier, 16 chain of factories were established.

The Governor directed the full utilization of four factories operating at low capacity.

At a Plastic factory, Zulum inspected part of over 3,000 school chairs already produced by Borno Plastic Company, for which the Governor expressed satisfaction with the quality of work carried out.

Zulum was also at the State plastic waste recycling company which works in full capacity.

By Aisha Hameed