August 24, (THEWILL) – A trip to the Bayelsa plastic factory at the weekend by a group of journalists, revealed that all the machines have been carted away, with few remnants littered at the factory warehouse.
There was no person found within the vicinity or anywhere around the factory, as there was easy access for reporters who went on a fact-finding mission.
The plastic industry came alive during the time of the current minister of state for petroleum, Timipre Sylva, who was the governor of the state at the time, but was abandoned few years after.
The present governor of the state, Douye Diri, had announced last year that the industry was going to be revived and actually the industry came alive for a few months before it went dead again.
He had said in one of his statements that “We are ready to talk to our businessmen and ensure that all of these are completed in our tenure and become functional, as well as useful for the benefits of Bayelsans and Nigerians.
But just one year after, the factory has been left bare and abandoned after it was looted and machines carted away.
Information revealed that the managing director of the industry, Ebimie Norman Niweigha, had agreed to revive the industry with the help of a German foreign investor, U&H integrated services limited.
He had promised to bring the needed economic development to the state, but couldn’t do it, instead all the equipments have disappeared.
All calls and text messages put across to Ebimie Norman Niweigha’s phone at the time of filing this report, were not responded to.
The commissioner for trade and investment, Bayelsa state, Federal Otokito, responding to the development on phone, said that he was aware of the development and stated he was already on the matter.
“I know. I’m aware of that. You have gone to see it. I’m on it. I’m handling it. Don’t worry.”
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