Enugu Tractor Assembly Plant to generate 3,600 jobs – Commissioner
The Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, says the Enugu Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre will generate over 3,600 jobs.
Ubru disclosed this in Enugu on Tuesday, when he received 100 tractors from Nortra Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre, an investment by ODK Group in Denmark.
He said that the plant, cited in Enugu, would help to boost food production in the state, in particular and Nigeria in general.
The News men reports that the Nortra Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre was established by the Enugu State Government, in partnership with the Danish firm, to assemble and service tractors.
The commissioner said the facility was expected to provide “direct and numerous indirect jobs that would have multiply effect on the economy.
“This facility will create employment, boost productivity and Enugu economy,” he said.
He also said that the 100 tractor heads were part of the 1,000 tractors promised by Gov. Peter Mbah to farmers during the campaign.
According to him, the governor promised to mechanise agriculture, increase productivity and make the state the food basket of the country.
Ubru said: “As of today, we have received 100 heads of tractors imported from Denmark through the company, Nortra, out of the 1,000 tractors Mbah promised to farmers in Enugu State.
“Apart from the 100 received, another 100 will be delivered in the next 60 to 90 days, while the remaining 800 tractors would be assembled here.
“We have also seen the implements that will accompany the tractors to the farm, which will be assembled here.”
He said they took the tractors for field test at the pilot farm estate at Akpawfu in Nkanu East Council Area, where they were confirmed to be of 75 horse power capacity and judged as solid machine that would aid mechanisation in the state.
The commissioner said that prior to the delivery of the tractors, the state’s small farm holders and commercial farmers found it difficult to engage in mechanised farming.
Ubru said that the state would set up Asset Leasing Company that would domicile in Enugu for proper, easy access and accountability of the tractors.
He said that only registered farmers in the state would have access to the tractors.
“We register and profile all our famers in Enugu State.
“Currently, we have over 66,000 registered farmers across all the value chains and more are registering as it is an ongoing process.
“We have 260 farm estates with 52,000 farmers and there will be opportunity for our commercial farmers to also access the services of our tractors,” Ubru said.
Also, the Chairman, All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria, Enugu, Mr Romanus Eze, said that with the tractors in place, several jobs would be created for the youths who, he said, had already demonstrated passion for farming.
Eze thanked the governor for fulfilling his campaign promise and pledged to make effective use of the tractors.