The Benue-owned juice factory and brewery are ready for production and will be inaugurated in August and October, respectively.

Raymond Asemakaha, managing director of Benue Investment and Property Company, disclosed this in Makurdi on Wednesday during a tour of ongoing projects executed by Governor Hyacinth Alia.

The tour is organised to mark Mr Alia’s administration’s second anniversary, assess the impact of his projects on the people and evaluate the administration’s delivery of democratic dividends.

The tour is led by former information minister Labaran Maku and former director-general of the National Orientation Agency Mike Omeri.

Speaking during the tour, Mr Asemakaha said the two projects, designed to utilise local raw materials, aim to combat capital flight, boost Benue’s GDP, and create jobs for local youths.

Specifically, Mr Asemakaha revealed that the juice factory would be test-run within the next two weeks by technical experts from Italy.

“In the next 90 days, the factory will begin full operations. We are tired of seeing our oranges across the country and in other West African nations without value addition from within the state,” he said.

According to him, Benue boasts some of the best tropical fruits in the world, including oranges, pineapples, and mangoes.

He stated that the factory would minimise post-harvest losses and facilitate local fruit processing, thereby creating jobs and supporting rural farmers.

On the brewery project, Mr Asemakaha said the factory, which will begin operations by October 1, will utilise local raw materials such as cassava and rice.

He added that the project would further empower farmers and enhance the state’s agricultural value chain.

Mr Asemakaha said the initiatives aligned with the government’s vision of inclusive economic development through agro-industrialisation.

“Every month, over one billion naira is spent on alcohol consumption in the state. We want to redirect that spending to our economy by producing our own beer,” he stated.

He added that the government had also invested in bread and water factories, which were already operational and positively impacting the livelihoods of local vendors and families.

“Some of the beneficiaries have told me they no longer struggle to pay school fees or buy BP medications. That is the result of inclusive governance,” he said.

The BIPC MD also disclosed that the state had created 474 direct jobs and over 3,000 indirect jobs through its industrial projects within one year.

Additionally, Boager Henry, the maintenance manager of the juice plant, stated that the abundance of fruits in the state influenced the decision to establish the plant.

“We are targeting aged farmers whose produce often goes to waste. This factory will enable us to collect and process fruits locally rather than allowing them to perish or be exported as raw materials,” he said.

Mr Henry said the initiative will not only reduce waste but also train local youths in technical skills, enhance productivity, and attract international support.

(NAN)