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By Agbo Amauche, Abakaliki
The Senior Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on rice mill Hon. Nwozaka Abel Uzodinma has assured the readiness of the State Government under the leadership of Chief Francis Ogbonna to revive Abakaliki Rice Mill Industry by making it the best Rice Mill industry across the Country in order to achieve food sufficiency in the State.
The Governor’s aide gave the assurance when he paid an unscheduled visit to the executive members of the industry at the rice mill complex Abakaliki, the State Capital.
Hon. Nwozaka who congratulated the State Governor Chief Francis Nwifuru for finding him worthy to serve in his adminstration, promised to deliver on his assigned responsibilities.
He also hailed the leadership of Abakaliki rice mill for the quality rice they are producing in the industry which according him has rated Ebonyi State higher in the Country in terms of agriculture.
He urged the leadership of the rice mill to live in harmony, peace and unity as well as work together with him to move the industry forward.
Responding on their requests which includes perimeter fencing of the rice mill, reduction of revenue being paid by the millers, electrifying the rice mill industry, provision of entrance and exit iron gates among others, Hon. Nwozaka promised to articulate their demands to the State Governor whom he said is ever ready to give Ebonyians the needed democracy dividends they have been yearning for and expressed hope that the Governor would do the needful in due time.
He expressed optimism that the State Government would renovate the rice mill infrastructural wise and secure new machines, security as well as incentives among millers for efficient and quality service delivery.
The SSA encouraged the millers to always abide by all Government directives especially as it concerns paying their internally generated revenue IGR into the State Government approved bank account as that would help the State Government to harken to their demands.
He assured to contribute his quota in making sure the company received the much needed government attention at all times.
Earlier in his speech, the chairman of Abakaliki rice mill Mr Linus Obeji extolled Governor Francis Nwifuru for his leadership track records within short time in office, while describing the visit of the Governor’s aide as a welcome development.
He congratulated the new SSA on his appointment and said they were happy to welcome him.
Obeji who said the industry is committed towards boosting food sufficiency in the Country, called on the State Government to provide them with modernize machines as the ones at the mill presently are not functioning normally to achieve the greater results.
He solicited for reduction of IGR payment as they are not getting enough resources to meet up with money usually paid before as they borrowed now to augment the IGR every time.
According to Obeji “The entire revenue generated from this rice mill go to Government, we borrow money to augment it and we don’t have left over to tackle our internal problem”
“We are begging you sir to come to our aid, the renumeration that use to come to us have been denied. Government before now used to assist our farmers with incentives like fertilizer, rice seedlings, chemicals among others but today those things are no longer reaching us”
“The machines you are hearing its sounds are in very pitiable conditions, those machine were prochured when we were not born and today it is no longer working well and we don’t have money to change them, we are calling on you sir to help us with new modernize machine to move this company forward”
The rice mill chairman while lamenting on the deplorable condition of the rice mill, called on the State Government for urgent construction of internal roads, provision of entrance iron gates, perimeter fencing, security, electricity and solar lights, to gurantee the lives and property of people in the area, noting that the rice if properly harness would not only give the State IGR but would go ahead in curbing food shortage in the Country.
Other rice millers who bared their minds included the Deputy Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly Deacon Joseph Ununu, the immediate past State Commissioner for education Dr. Sunday Nwangele, the Traditional ruler of Nkaleke Achara Autonomous Community Eze Sunday Oketa, the Treasurer of Abakaliki Rice Mill Mr Emmanuel Obasi appealed to the State Government to rebrand the rice mill as some of their machines have become obsolete and promised to abide by the State Government directives in the course of their businesses.
The SSA was later taken round the mill where he inspected the measurement scales, the quality of rice being produced by the millers, milling and distoning machines while the visit continues to other rice mill across the State.
