Why we’re against sale of Mambilla tea factory, by host communities

Plans by the Taraba State government to commercialise the Mambila Beverages Nigeria Limited, in Kakara area of Sardauna Local Council, have continued to receive strong resistance from stakeholders.

Yesterday, the communities, via a statement made available to newsmen in Jalingo, explained why the company should not be privatised.

They urged the government to employ competent hands to run the company.

Describing the treatment of locals working in the company as shabby, they noted that the competent hands would also treat members of the host communities as human beings by “paying them living wages.”

President of the host communities association, Abdullahi Abdulkarim, and the Secretary, Usman Laido, noted: “We stated here categorically that no member of the host communities welcomed the privatisation idea and are not happy with anything about the so-called privatisation.

“If the government actually wants to privatise (anything), to improve profitability, productivity, efficiency and job opportunity for Tarabans, it should privatise the assets Tarabans have forgotten.”

They cited the N4 billion Greenhouse Jalingo, Kurmi Timber Factory, Taraba Motel, Jalingo New Market, Cassava Industry and Gassol Rice Mills.

“As at today, no law has been enacted by the House of Assembly on privatisation of government-owned property. The communities are calling on the state government, through the Taraba Investment Property Limited, to rule by law and not by the conscience of the paymaster,” the statement added.

The improper sale of the company, according to the communities, signals ill-will and regression for host communities, who had often been disregarded in the past, adding: “This decision is ill-timed, ill-motivated and ill-advised.”

While calling on the government to shelve the plan of selling the company in a “clearly ill-advised manner at this last minute,” the stressed the need to allow the going concern to continue to blossom without unnecessary controversies.

But in a swift reaction, the Chief Executive Officer, Taraba Investment and Property Development limited (TIPDL),Ezekiel Iliya, said government has commenced sensitisation on the privitisation of Highland Tea Company, to educate the people on the benefit they would drive at the end of the exercise.