A’Ibom Expects Job Boom From $1.4bn Fertilizer Plant

Governor Udom Emmanuel has disclosed that the $1.4b fertilizer plant project in Akwa Ibom State by OCP Africa will have a positive impact on agriculture, boost employment and create a chain of profitable economic activities in the state.

The governor stated this while receiving a delegation of leading global provider of phosphate, OCP Africa led by its Managing Director, Mohamed Hettiti, who paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday, at Government House, Uyo, recently.

“The results will say a lot more than we can actually say right now, but we are ready, as a state government we are ready, our partners are ready, we’ve started the project straight ahead, I think very soon results will start showing”, the Governor said.

He thanked OCP AFRICA for visiting the host communities, noted that it is a right step in the right direction indicating the take-off of the project and assured them of his administration’s readiness to keep to its part of the bargain, noting that people in the state, especially farmers, stand to benefit a lot from the project, as OCP Africa will ensure necessary education for farmers on fertilizer needs and best practices, assuring that the project will berth a huge investment in agriculture, partnering with farmers, distributors and stakeholders to foster a thriving agriculture system.

“Let me appreciate all the partners in this project, this is a big project outside the ammonia and fertilizer you heard the MD OCP, Africa mentioned fertilizer and we have a whole lot to do in terms of education and it’s a lot more involving than probably what people talked about, but we are taking all the processes and a step at a time.

He hinted that work will commence on other phases of the project soon and thanked Ikot Abasi the host community for a warm reception accorded the Moroccan investors into the state.

“You’ve heard him say that they are excited about the reception by the host community, the next thing we are going through will be the survey and the rest of it, as the events unfold we will keep the press abreast with what we are doing”.

In his remarks, the Managing Director, OCP AFRICA, Mohamed Hettiti, said the objective of the visit was to partner the host community to execute the project and commence collaboration in the agricultural sector in the state.

“The objective of the visit was to visit the site and to align and partner with the host community for our project and also to start collaboration in the Agricultural sector with the state. “So far we have a good and perfect site for our plant”, he stated.