The Ebonyi State Government has approved a strategic partnership with a Chinese engineering company for the revival of the Nkalagu Cement Industry, alongside plans to establish an electronics manufacturing hub at the ICT University, Oferekpe, and create Herbal Heritage Gardens across the state's three senatorial zones.
The approvals formed part of the resolutions reached at the emergency meeting of the Ebonyi State Executive Council (EXCO) chaired by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru following his return from an official investment mission to China.
Briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, said the council endorsed the proposed design, construction and operation of a 6,000 tonnes-per-day Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Cement Plant at the Nkalagu Cement Industry in partnership with Jiangsu Pengfei Group Ltd.
He described the approval as a major step towards revitalising the state's industrial sector, creating employment opportunities and restoring Nkalagu's status as one of Nigeria's foremost cement-producing hubs.
Omebeh disclosed that EXCO was also briefed on the economic gains recorded during the state's investment mission to China, particularly in the areas of education, technology transfer and industrial development.
He said the state government had concluded plans to introduce smart digital technology into secondary schools across Ebonyi as part of efforts to modernise the education sector.
According to him, the initiative will also see the establishment of an electronics manufacturing company at the ICT University, Oferekpe, where digital cameras and other electronic gadgets will be produced.
"The vision of the present administration is to transform the ICT University into a centre of innovation, technology and manufacturing that will attract investors, researchers and students from across the country and beyond," Omebeh said.
He added that the university would operate independently of the national electricity grid, noting that the state government had already procured and delivered power-generating equipment to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply to the institution.
The Commissioner further announced that EXCO approved the establishment of Ebonyi State Herbal Heritage Gardens in the three senatorial zones of the state.
He explained that the project would be jointly implemented by the Ministries of Culture and Tourism, Health, and Agriculture and Natural Resources to preserve medicinal plants, promote indigenous healthcare and harness the economic potential of herbal resources.
Omebeh said the council directed the immediate commencement of stakeholders' engagement, identification of suitable sites and the development of a regulatory framework in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and relevant research institutions.
He added that the government also approved the preparation and submission, within 90 days, of a supplementary memorandum to provide legislative backing for the standardisation of herbal medicine, protection of intellectual property rights and integration of certified herbal practices into the state's primary healthcare system.
According to the Commissioner, the approvals underscore the Nwifuru administration's commitment to diversifying Ebonyi's economy through strategic investments in manufacturing, technology, education, healthcare and tourism while leveraging international partnerships to drive sustainable economic growth and job creation.
