Ebonyi Government Moves To Revamp Abakaliki Rice Mill Industry

By Celestine Okeh

Ebonyi state Government have indicated her readiness to revamp the ailing Abakaliki Rice Mill Industry to international standard.

Deputy Chief of staff, Government House, Mr Okechukwu Nwakpu disclosed this during a meeting with the mill owners and the landlords in the area.

Nwakpu, posited that the state government under the watch of Engr David Umahi is not interested in running or acquiring the rice Mill but has concluded plans to change the dilapidated infrastructural facelift of the industry, face off the analogue Mills and replace them with digital Rice milling machine to meet the 21st century standard. He stated further that government has awarded the contract for the fencing of the industry's complex to avoid unnecessary encroachment and to reconstruct the building to improve and enhance their business.

He enjoined them to form cooperatives and register with government to enable government access loans for them to boost their business.

He gave them one week to conclude everything about the registration and warned that any mill owner that fail to register on the expiration of the one week will no longer be allowed to operate within the industry.
He reiterated that the essence of the registration was to know the real operator in the rice Mill industry.

Responding, the patron of the rice Mill owners, Mr Tony Muoneke thanked the government for the lofty ideas for the progress of the rice Mill industry but pleaded for extension of the registration deadline with one week to enable Millers complete the process as the millers are now in the pick of business. Also speaking, the Chairman of the Millers Association, Mr Samuel Ogodo thanked the government and assured that they will abide by the decisions of government and urged members to immediately commence the registration as the task force will go round to ensure compliance.