Auchi monarch commends revamp of Edo fertilizer factory

The Edo State Government has been commended for the revamp of the 60,000mt Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited in Auchi, which has improved economic activities in the state.

The Otaru of Auchi Kingdom, Alhaji Aliru Momoh Ikelebe III, gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to Governor Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House, Benin City.

The factory, which was established in the early 2000s, was abandoned for years until the Governor Obaseki-led administration revived the facility through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with WACOT Limited.

The facility is estimated to create about 500 direct jobs and several other indirect jobs in the community.

Lauding the governor for his developmental strides across the state, the monarch said the fertilizer factory has become an employer of labour for the people of the state.

He said: “Obaseki came on board as Governor, and the first thing he did in Auchi was to revive the fertilizer factory that was dead for so many years and he created jobs for the people. The fertilizer factory is still working till date and people are working there.”

The governor, on his part, said his administration would sustain partnership with the Federal Government to facilitate the reconstruction of the Benin/Auchi Road, to end the sufferings of the commuters and open up the area for more economic activities.

He said, “We have assured him that we will continue to work with the Federal Government to construct the Benin/Auchi Road because that is the spine of the economy of the state. Once it fails, it will affect our people and the economy of the state significantly.

“The Minister of Works has been very proactive on the issue as I received a letter from him requesting the state government to pay compensation for lands in some areas where they need to get their alignment through. We are going to be working on that for a few weeks to make sure that whatever they need to construct that road is provided for them.”