By Goodluck Ikiebe.
Nigeria’s Indigenous company, Madugu cement, in collaboration with Sonoma Engineering company of China, has unveiled its intention to establish a 5 million metric tons cement company in Kembu, Akko LGA and Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, North-East Nigeria.
The project is to be executed in two phases, with the construction and commissioning of a fully integrated 2.5million metric tons of lime per year and a 60 megawatts power plant, while the 2nd phase will be the additional 2.5 million metric tons per year.
The company believes that Nigeria and the surrounding regions have good opportunities in construction, housing and infrastructure development.
For over 40 years, the North-eastern Zone has only one cement company, which makes it difficult to meet the demand of the immediate environment.
The Chief Executive Officer of Madugu Cement Company, Mr. Mohammed Madugu, revealed this during a visit to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in Gombe.
Mr. Madugu said his technical partners had come to seek the Governor’s guidance, advice and blessing in setting up the cement company, which is aimed at bridging the cement deficit in the zone.
“In the absence of a new major investor in the region, I have taken this decision to invest and build new plant in partnership with the Sinoma Company of China,” Mr. Madugu said.
He stated that the project when fully completed and operational, would positively impact on the host communities and the state, such as the dependence of the company local manpower, 90% locally source materials, skills and technology transfer, among others.
Mr Madugu said; “Training, capacity development to locals, building the installations and commissioning improved corporate social responsibility, schools, healthcare centres and potable water and to increase revenue generation to the state are some of the benefits.”
The Project Manager of International Marketing Africa Region of Sinoma International Company, Mr. Sun Yujin, said the company considered it an honour to be invited by Madugu Cement for an investment in Gombe State.
Mr. Yujin said; ”the company would in no doubt provide the needed labour and contribute to the development of Gombe State.”
Governor Muhammad Yahaya said the state would provide a good market for cement, because it had about 25 million people with the need for development, which would require cement, providing a robust commercial activity as the centre of the North East.
He said this was so because of the good trade relations and boundaries it had with the remaining five states in the North East and Cameroon, Chad and the Republic of Niger.
“So, your coming here is very apt and we welcome you most profoundly, because we’ve benefited from the existence of the cement company in this sub-region, but may be with close to three-quarters of the North West. In the whole of the North, I think we have only four cement plants now, that of Obajana, that of Sokoto, then Gboko and that of Ashaka,” Governor Yahaya said.
He said an additional cement company in the North would greatly improve on the economic activities and deliver social infrastructure and fiscal infrastructure of the North East.
Governor Yahaya advised the investor to delve into other ventures like power generation, which could easily be sourced in the state.
