No fewer than 7000 persons will be taken off the labour market in Abia State as construction work has commenced on the site of a petrochemical plant in the state

The project located at Mbarakuma-Ubakala area of Umuahia on the Enugu- Port Harcourt Expressway, had last week been flagged off by Governor Theodore Orji.

No fewer than 7000 persons will be taken off the labour market in Abia State as construction work has commenced on the site of a petrochemical plant in the state

The project located at Mbarakuma-Ubakala area of Umuahia on the Enugu- Port Harcourt Expressway, had last week been flagged off by Governor Theodore Orji.

According to the Chairman of the firm, Chief Etugo-Ndubuisi Ogah, 3,000 direct, and 4,000 indirect jobs would be created when the $6 million plant finally comes on board.

In an interview with  The PUNCH  on Monday in Umuahia, Ogah said that part of  the fund for the gigantic project had been acquired through the Bank of Industry under the Automobile fund scheme.

He also said that already, an Indian technical partner, the Onella Group, had arrived the country to help in realising the project expected to be delivered in 36 months time.

According to him, other products apart from petro-chemicals to be produced in the plant include: motorcycle and tricycle tyres, tubes,  motor batteries, detergents among others.

He said the state government had already provided land as part of its contribution to the actualization  of the project, assuring that the project would be delivered on schedule.

Ogah hinted that arrangements had also been concluded to locate a 5000 KVA power plant on the premises of the firm for constant power supply, adding that when the entire project is finally realised, Abia State will consolidate its position as the industrial commercial hub of the South East geopolitical zone.

Source: Punch