Dangote’s historic visit to Lafia

I was raised in an environment where everyone is defined according to the impacts he or she made in the society. If you make small impacts, it announces you small, and at the other hand if you make big impact, it doesn’t just stopped at announcing you big but it goes forth to introduce you […]

I was raised in an environment where everyone is defined according to the impacts he or she made in the society. If you make small impacts, it announces you small, and at the other hand if you make big impact, it doesn’t just stopped at announcing you big but it goes forth to introduce you to high net worth individuals who will take you as a business worthwhile associate and a promoter of economy development. Napoleon Hill called this kind of scenario the “Master Mind Alliance”.

This made me to give more value to the fact that alone one can actually reach his goals but working with others (like minds) you could exceed your original goals. You achieve common goals through everyone’s contributions.

When I learnt from Nasarawa Chamber of Commerce that Governor Umar Al-makura is the first to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the state, that immediately defined to me who the governor is in the business world – a giant public investor who can manage emerging and re-emerging risks in an economy especially in a state like this which to me was already fragile economically.

This single move was what paved way for Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group to visit the state last weekend, and announced his readiness to invest N217b in Nasarawa Sugar Plantation. I gathered that the Sugar Plantation would not only produce sugar but would also produce electricity supply which would go a long way in improving the socio-economic condition of residents of the state.

“There is no waste in sugar, so in a nutshell, we will be able to generate power of up to 96 megawatts and over 50 megawatts will actually be distributed to the network. What we are trying to do is work with the Distribution Company here on how to equally improve power supply”, Dangote expressed.

 Before now, the question all over has been, what are the robust plans the government is putting in place to tap maximally the opportunities available around the Abuja corridor in terms of generating revenue for the state? One can boldly acknowledge the fact that the question is no longer the same as things are drastically changing and new business frontiers are springing up tactically within the state. The government has created favourable policies that will attract both home and foreign investors.

Just like the governor said, we are very lucky to have this kind of opportunity. Is not only Nasarawa state that is in the north-central, we have other states like Plateau and Benue, but the Dangote group preferred the state for this all important developmental project. What this means is that , not only will this increase the state Internally Generated Revenue, but will also create massive employment opportunities for the youth. It has the capacity to create employment for not less than 30,000 people.

That’s not all about the potentials of this Sugar Plantation for the state, it will also create enabling environment for other industries to spring up in the state. There nothing so important than when you look around you in the state and can point out to so many factories and enterprises. It makes the dependency rate less and the images of corruption unattractive.

This to me is one of the greatest discoveries in the economic firmament of the state.

 

Silas Gunde, Lafia, Nasarawa State.