Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna state yesterday said the Ikara Tomato Company would soon reopen for business after being dormant for years, adding that the state would boost tomato production to make Nigeria net exporter of the commodity.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the 35th Kaduna International Trade Fair that ended in Kaduna, Yero, who commended the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) for organising “a hugely successful fair’, said the tomato company would be run on public-private partnership (PPP) to kick-start the reopening of other moribund food processing companies owned by the state.
According to Governor Yero, having overcome its security challenges, the state is open for business with local and international investors as the state seek diversification.
“We have adopted the PPP model in reviving the Ikara Food Processing Company, the Kafanchan Flour Mills, the Kachia Ginger Processing Company and the Makarfi Sugar Company.
“The Ikara Tomatoes Company will boost production and create wealth for our farmers. All the other food processing companies will also be revamped through the same process. Our state is one of the major producers of tomatoes yet we import tomatoes pastes. This is unacceptable. I believe it is time to make a change for the sake of engendering a sustainable economy.
“Several trade agreements have been signed between various entrepreneurs. As government, we are also interested in attracting businesses to our state for the purpose of increasing economic activities and creating jobs for our people. We have adopted the public private partnership model, and our target is to implement a broad based partnership with the private sector, to meet our objective of bridging the infra structural deficit in our state, create wealth for our people and rapidly grow our economy.
“Kaduna is presently the preferred investment destination in the North and we have created the enabling environment that supports businesses to thrive and make profit. I invite all investors to come to Kaduna, we are ready for business.”
