THE Managing Director of BUA Sugar Refinery in Lafiagi, Edu local government area of Kwara State, Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro, has urged the federal government to curtail alleged excesses in hostilities of host communities to encourage investments and fast track process of healing the nation’s economy.
Speaking during inspection visit of the minister of state, federal ministry of industry, trade and investment ,Hajia Aisha Abubakar to Lafiagi on Tuesday, the BUA boss noted that the federal government intervention became imperative because the hostilities the sugar company suffered from their host community, lafiagi was severe, and it substantially disturbed the success of their project in the community.
According to him, “Perhaps, I need not to over stress the sufferings that engulfed BUA immediately after it has acquired LASUCO that was the community hostility and the long process of post privatisation that delayed full hand over and taking over of ownership in late 2014.”
“If not because of these circumstances, Hon Minister, we could have gone beyond the level we are now”
Yaro therefore explained that, “Success depends on concerted action to confront the challenges of community hostility and infrastructural development”
“We believe that government is determined to implement the National Sugar Master plan which it considers as one of the core components of its industrial revolution plan to accelerate economic growth” he added.
He noted that, “For the refineries to relentlessly implement their respective BIP projects, Federal government might is needed to curtail the excesses of host community’s hostilities”
He stressed that, “they should be made to understand that investors of our magnitude are coming to bring development to their areas and empower them economically. They should be prepared to cooperate with us and protect the investments, not to use their youths to destroy them”
Already, he said, “The 500ha earmarked for our nursery development has been developed. Similarly, what is ongoing is the land clearing and development preparation for additional 5000 hectares which would take us through 2018″
He stressed that,” We are focussed, determined and vigorously matching forward to meet our set targets. LASUCO is targeting the production of 2million tons of sugar cane annually and this segment alone could produce over 4,000 jobs, while thousands of employment would be generated at plant and at an indirect level”
BUA is serious and is ever ready to surprise Nigeria and Nigerians in its current efforts of becoming a mega local sugar producer and first sugar exporter in the country as being done in Swaziland “he stressed.
Responding after the tour, the minister, Hajia Aisha Abubakar commended the resilience of the company to survive against all odds.
She urged the management to strive to meet its targets, adding that the federal government would not shirk in her responsibilities to provide the needed support.
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