BIPC Blames Policy Failures for Benue Industrial Decline

The Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) stated that years of policy failures have led to the decline of industries in Benue State. Group Managing Director Dr. Raymond Asemakaha made this announcement during an inspection of the abandoned Igumale cement factory and Otukpo burnt bricks project, led by Deputy Governor Sam Ode.

Asemakaha identified key factors contributing to the industrial decline, including policy inconsistency, inadequate private sector investment, weak infrastructure, and fragile value chains, despite the state's growing population. He emphasized that the Governor Hyacinth Alia administration is committed to revitalizing moribund industries through investment promotion and the revival of the late Aper Aku’s industrial model.

Asemakaha directed the immediate resumption of work at the Igumale cement factory and invited the Chinese firm, Zhengzhou Cangxi Industry and Commerce Development Company Ltd, to return and complete the project. The inspection was part of a broader initiative to assess and restore abandoned industries as a strategy for economic growth and job creation.