The Group Managing Director of Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC), Dr. Raymond Asemakaha-CFA, has mandated an immediate optimization of the assets at the Wannune Tomato Factory, located in the Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State, to assess the requirements necessary for its revitalization.
Dr. Asemakaha issued this directive during an inspection visit to the facility, following the commissioning of the BIPC Bakery in Gboko.
He expressed significant concern regarding the extent of vandalization present at the site and indicated that Italian technicians would be engaged to perform a comprehensive assessment of the factory’s assets. This evaluation will inform the government’s subsequent steps toward the factory's revival.
Additionally, the Group Managing Director ordered the mobilization of security personnel to protect the facility from further acts of vandalism.
He assured stakeholders that once operational, the factory would contribute to enhancing local economic activities, creating employment opportunities, and increasing value addition for tomato farmers.
During the visit, the Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, Hon. Alumo Orpin, revealed that the state government had issued an ultimatum to the private partner contracted during the previous administration; this ultimatum is set to expire at the end of October 2025. He noted that if the terms of the partnership are not fulfilled by the deadline, the government intends to revoke the partnership.
Hon. Orpin commended the proactive engagement of the BIPC leadership and pledged the ministry's full support for the restoration of the factory.
The Board Chairman of BIPC, Chief Lady Elizabeth Shuluwa, reaffirmed the board's commitment to ensuring the factory's revival, emphasizing the vital role the plant plays in enabling farmers to achieve equitable returns on their produce and to enhance profitability from their labor.