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Enugu State Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre will generate over 3,600 jobs.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, disclosed this when he received 100 tractors from Nortra Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre, an investment by ODK Group in Denmark in Enugu yesterday.
He said the plant would help boost food production in the state, in particular and Nigeria in general.
The Nortra Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre was established by the Enugu State Government, in partnership with the Danish firm, to assemble and service tractors.
The commissioner said the facility was expected to provide “direct and numerous indirect jobs that would have multiple effects on the economy. This facility will create employment, boost productivity and the Enugu economy.”
He also said the 100 tractor heads were part of the 1,000 tractors promised by Gov. Peter Mbah to farmers during the campaign.
According to him, the governor promised to mechanise agriculture, increase productivity and make the state the food basket of the country.
“As of today, we have received 100 heads of tractors imported from Denmark through the company, Nortra, out of the 1,000 tractors Mbah promised to farmers in Enugu State.
“Apart from the 100 received, another 100 will be delivered in the next 60 to 90 days, while the remaining 800 tractors would be assembled here.
“We have also seen the implements that will accompany the tractors to the farm, which will be assembled here.”
Ubru said they took the tractors for field test at the pilot farm estate at Akpawfu in Nkanu East Council Area, where they were confirmed to be of 75 horsepower capacity and judged as solid machines that would aid mechanisation in the state.
The commissioner said that prior to the delivery of the tractors, the state’s small farm holders and commercial farmers found it difficult to engage in mechanised farming.
Ubru said that the state would set up an Asset Leasing Company that would domicile in Enugu for proper, easy access and accountability of the tractors.
He said that only registered farmers in the state would have access to the tractors.
“We register and profile all our farmers in Enugu State.
“Currently, we have over 66,000 registered farmers across all the value chains and more are registering as it is an ongoing process.
“We have 260 farm estates with 52,000 farmers and there will be an opportunity for our commercial farmers to also access the services of our tractors,” Ubru said.
Chairman, All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria, Enugu, Mr. Romanus Eze, said with the tractors in place, several jobs would be created for the youths who, he said, had already demonstrated passion for farming.
He thanked the governor for fulfilling his campaign promise and pledged to make effective use of the tractors.
