The Secretary to Ebonyi Government, Dr Hyginus Nkwokwu, said on Tuesday that the state had begun the process of establishing three cement factories in Nkalagu, Effium and Okpoto.
Nkwokwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki that government had conducted exploration and geophysical surveys for the establishment of the cement factories.
The secretary to the state government said that the factories were located in Ishielu and Ohaukwu Local Government Areas of the state.
He said Ebonyi would, in the next few years, become the number one economy in Nigeria, following the massive economic revolution going on in the state.
He said that the administration of Gov. Dave Umahi had in the past three and half years, undertaken far-reaching reforms in the education, economic, agriculture and other sectors with outstanding results.
“In the next two-three years, Ebonyi will regain its prime position in cement manufacturing and distribution at minimal cost.
“Construction work has started in the three locations. The coming of this administration has become a veritable virtue to the growth and development of Ebonyi,” he said.
Nkwokwu said the state government had made frantic efforts to empower the citizenry in order to alleviate poverty and ensure development.
He said that government had empowered all Ebonyi indigenes in Lagos, Onitsha and other strategic places in Nigeria, with N250, 000 each, to embark on meaningful means of livelihood.
“The governor also empowered wives of security agencies in the state with between N200, 000 and N250, 000 each to start functional businesses in order to reduce family pressure on their husbands.
“The gesture will limit domestic demands on their husbands and promote service delivery among the officers, and at the same time discourage corruption in their places of job,” he said.
According to him, the immediate and utmost priority of Gov. Umahi is to put the state on the right track.
He said that the governor’s re-election was not paramount in his mind, but that he was more concerned about his place in history.
“His achievements and reforms in all sectors will naturally take care of his re-election to consolidate on the successes.
