Stakeholders in Enugu and Ebonyi States have hailed the deliberate efforts of the State Governments to revive some of the industries that became moribund several decades ago.

The people spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu and Abakiliki.

They ‌‌‍‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌⁠⁠‍⁠‍‌‌expressed the hope that the initiative would help to open up the economy, create youth employment and enhance the internally generated revenue profile of the states.

NAN recalls that Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State has successfully revived the state-owned Niger Gas Ltd, while the resuscitation of Sunrise Flour Mills is still in progress.

Also, the resuscitation of the Enugu United Palm Products Ltd as well as the Songhai Farms have reached advanced stages.

The Niger Gas Ltd., a gas plant established by the government of the defunct Eastern Region, had been grounded for over 35 years.

Already, the company has commenced the production of acetylene, nitrogen, medical oxygen, and welding/process oxygen, with the creation of direct and indirect employment across its distribution, fabrication, transport, and supply chains.

In a similar vein, the State Government is making effort to also revive Sunrise Flour Mill, Emene, Enugu, following the signing of a N40 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JELFAH Group. The mill had been moribund for over 40 years.

It has the capacity to produce flour, semolina, and wheat, and is expected to create both direct and indirect jobs along it’s supply, distribution, transportation, agricultural-development and related value-chains, when completed.

The State Government Is also set to revive the Enugu United Palm Products Ltd with the signing of N100 billion deal with Pragmatic Palms Limited in May 2024, after 35 years of its closure.

The company, whichh plans to increase its 6,700-hectare palm plantation to at least 20,000-hectare in five years, targets over 3,500 direct and indirect jobs within the palm oil and its related products value-chains.

The government has also commenced the process of resuscitating its 10,000-hectare Enugu Tribu Songhai Farms in Ezeagu Local Government Area, with access roads rehabilitated and 54 fish ponds already constructed.

Rehabilitation work is currently ongoing on the piggries, poultry units, water systems, residential facilities and training centres in the farm.

The government also revitalised a privately owned Enugu-based vehicle manufacturing and assembly plant, otherwise known as ANAMMCO Limited, with patronage in terms of auto-mobile training for thousands of youths in the state.

The automobile company is also handling the repair of broken-down mass transit buses as well as other transport servicing projects meant to revive the state’s transport sector.

Speaking on the initiatives, a community leader in Enugu, Dr John Egbo, said that Mbah’s administration had done well in revitalising industries with great impact on the state economy.

Egbo said, “Before now, the premises of these industries were overgrown with grasses and taken over by rodents, while men of the underworld use them as their criminal hideout.”

Chief Leonard Ugwu, the President of the 9th Mile Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines And Agriculture (9CCIMA), Enugu State, commended Mbah for his focus on improving and rebuilding the economy of the state.

Ugwu said that Mbah was poised to recover the years of lost economic grounds through the revitalisation of moribund industries, expanding them and building agro-allied industries, free trade and agricultural zones.

“The governor is matching his administration’s ambitious economic growth with verifiable actions, especially in the revival of the moribund industries and ensuring their multiplier effects on the majority,” he said.

In a related development, stakeholders in Ebonyi have commended the State Government’s proposal to revitalise dead industries and also establish a new cement factory in Nkalagu.

Speaking to NAN in Abakiliki, the people said the cement factory, when established, would create jobs, and reduce cost of building materials in the state, South-East and Nigeria.

NAN recalled that the government appropriated N150 billion in the 2026 budget for the new factory.

The State Government had cited some bottlenecks surrounding the reactivation of the old factory, Nigerian Cement Company (NIGERCEM), Nkalagu, as its reason for the plan to establish a new one.

In an interview, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Prof. Ogugua Egwu, applauded the government’s proposal for the establishment of new industries and revitalisation of the abandoned ones.

Egwu said the initiative, if properly implemented, would expand work space and improve the state’s economy.

He said that the plan, which had already been captured as “budget of industrialisation”, would help revive the moribund industries.

“We are comfortable with the desire to expand the work space but do not know why the process is slow.

“But the moment they become a reality, we will be glad to ensure that the right persons are engaged to prosper the industries and ensure workers are not shortchanged,” he said

The Director-General, state Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, Mr Stephen Odo, said that plans were also in the pipeline to revive the Ezzamgbo Pipe Production Company, Abakiliki Rice Mill, building materials, and perforisation plants.

Odo, a former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, said that government was committed to resuscitating the industries to complement the civil and public service sectors in job creation.

He said the plan would encourage the private sector in the state to play its role by driving job creation and employment.

A resident, Mr Pius Ogbonnaya, said that reviving the old factories would bring back thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities for local residents and increase state’s revenue generation capacity.

In Anambra, the Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr Law Mefor, said the State Government was not considering revamping any moribund state-owned industry.

Mefor told NAN that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration was interested in evolving a business environment that would be conducive for private sector investments.

He said the government was working on the Anambra Aerotropolis, a cluster of industries driven by aviation with a cargo airport at the core.

According to him, the Anambra Mixed Industrial City, under construction, already has Free Trade Zone status approval.

“State corporations we had in the state, like AVOP, died long ago before this government came into office.

“The economic and development philosophy of the governor does not favour state-owned corporations.

“He has insisted that before he can go that route, there should be evidence of such an investment that is thriving anywhere,” Mefor said.

He said, “Soludo, who is an economist of international repute, wants the state to be an enabler of industrialisation by providing the environment for businesses to thrive.

“The emphasis is on providing electricity, gas, security and other enablers that support private sector-driven economy,” he said. (NAN)