The Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has said the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) Centre at Izhiangbo will create more than 2,000 direct employment opportunities when completed.
Nwifuru disclosed this on Monday shortly after inspecting ongoing construction work at the facility, stressing that his administration was prioritising projects capable of expanding economic activity, strengthening livestock production and creating sustainable employment opportunities for the people.
The governor described the project as a strategic investment in the state’s livestock and agricultural value chain, noting that the facility was originally an abandoned veterinary establishment that had existed for about 60 years before his administration commenced its reconstruction.
According to him, the reconstructed centre is designed to respond to contemporary veterinary education, animal health, livestock production and agricultural development needs in Ebonyi State and beyond.
Nwifuru said the facility occupies about 295 hectares of land and would accommodate a veterinary college, modern abattoirs, a veterinary hospital, grazing reserves with a capacity for about 2,000 herds, as well as farming enclaves for piggery, grasscutter production and other ruminants.
“We have 295 hectares of land here. We are going to build about 27 buildings in the first instance. The contract for the construction of the 27 buildings have all been awarded,” the governor said.
He explained that the first phase of the project included 27 buildings out of the proposed 86 structures planned for the facility, comprising administrative blocks, students’ hostels, staff quarters and lecture theatres.
The governor, however, acknowledged that some components of the project, particularly access roads, had been affected by the ongoing rainy season, assuring that construction activities would be intensified once weather conditions improve.
“We have agreed that full constructions should commence in November this year,” he said.
Nwifuru also disclosed that several buildings were expected to be completed before the end of December, while urging residents of the host communities to protect the project and demonstrate a sense of ownership.
“We are looking at an employment level of about 2,000 workforce here. I thank you for your cooperation as I have not received any news of stealing and social violations. No contractor has complained of any disruptions by way of theft.
“I can assure you that by December this year, many buildings here will be completed,” he said.
The governor said the employment potential of the centre would complement the administration’s broader efforts to create jobs, stimulate local enterprise and expand the state’s economic base.
Conducting the governor round the facility, the Ebonyi State Government’s L-PRES Consultant, Dr Usman Ali Lawan, said the project was designed principally to reposition livestock production and bring the sector closer to global standards.
Lawan said the centre would also provide employment opportunities and support the development of a more productive and resilient livestock value chain in the state.
He commended Governor Nwifuru for what he described as his proactive approach to the project, saying the investment demonstrated foresight and a focus on projects with direct socio-economic benefits to the people.
The L-PRES facility, when completed, is expected to serve as a major hub for veterinary education, livestock production, animal health services and related agricultural activities in Ebonyi State.
