Enugu govt to create 3,600 jobs in  Tractor Assembling plant, receives 100 tractors

Enugu state government says it will create 3,600 jobs in it’s Tractor Assembling  plant located at the old Daily Star office Enugu, disclosing that it  has already  received 100 tractors being first batch of the 1000 tractors the state Governor, Dr Peter Mbah promised during his electioneering campaign.

Pix: Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Patrick Ubru( middle)

Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon  Patrick  Ubru disclosed that to newsmen on  Monday after receiving the tractors and inspecting the facilities at the Enugu state Tractor Leasing Company. 

He said the tractors would be distributed to farmers at the on set of this year’s farming season, explaining that they will boost agricultural production in the state  through mechanized farming.

According to the Commissioner,  the gesture was a fulfilment of the Governor’s manifesto . He added that mechanized Agriculture will increase  productivity up to 200 folds. . “Farming will be easier . Farming will now become a business, ” he said.

Pix: Tractors Assembling plant

Ubru added that the tractors were imported from Denmark by Notrac. ” We also saw the implements to be assembled. They have assured us that in 60 to 90 days, another 100 tractors will be brought and remaining 800 will be assembled in Enugu. ” When this happens a lot of jobs will be created. A lot of values will be added  to our economy, ” he said..

Ubru commended Governor Mbah for the gesture, noting that he had not seen such gesture in agricultural sector before. He disclosed that the tractors had been tested and confirmed  to be  a 75 horse power capacity. “We have  the opportunity to upgrade the capacities of the machines based on  productivity in our agriculture. We are looking at 200 folds,” he said.

On how the tractors will be managed, the Commissioner said the Governor was constructing 260 farm estates in the 260 political wards in the state, some farmers had registered . and the tractors will be go en to the registered farmers

pix: Ubru

According to him, ” The farmers estate will be a One-stop – shop ,, each  with 200 farmers in a farm estate. there will be mechanized farming,, improved  seeds and extension of farmers services.

” It is easy to manage. The 200  farmers  had been profiled. We know they are using the tractors . In the ministry of Agriculture, 66,000  farmers  registered across  the value chain. We are expected to register 52 hectares of land”, Ubru said..

He  disclosed that Enugu State  tractor service centre will house the tractor Assembling plant, the tractor hiring centre and a training centre. Ubru said, so far, a total of 100 drivers had been trained and more people will be trained

According to him , the Assembling plant will also serve as a workshop for repairing  of faulty tractors for sustainability

Ubru added that modalities have been put in place to ensure that the tractors were distributed to registered farmers with emphasis on maintenance culture and accountability to avoid misuse of the machines.

Speaking,, the chairman of All Farmers Association, Enugu State chapter,  Romanus Anayo  Eze thanked Governor Mbah for his kind gesture . He said Mbah is a farmers-friendly  Governor, He promised that farmers will make judicious use of the tractors and increase food production in the state.

Author: Maureen Ikpeama

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *