Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Plateau state government has signed an agreement with Hummer Drinks Limited, a soft-drinks producing company to refurbish Highland Bottling Company in Barkin Ladi, that has been abandoned for over 20 years.
Chairman Technical Committee of Plateau Investment and Property-development Company (PIPC), Chief Ezekiel Gomos, while commending the state government over the laudable steps to revamp the company, noted that the development was in line with the industrialisation policy of Governor Simon Lalong’s administration.
Gomos said: “For us in PIPC, history is being made today; the signing of this agreement is a culmination of efforts of several years.”
According to him, the company had been shut since 1995, but by the initiative of the governor, the committee decided not to allow it remain shut.
“By this, revenue will be generated for the state, and our youths will be employed”, he added.
Also speaking, Managing/CEO of Hummer Drinks Limited, Mr. Joseph Umoru said: “It has been a very long journey to this day, after extensive feasibility studies”, adding that his Hummer company is an indigenous company with expertise, skills, and capacity to produce and market well tested world brands.
He thanked PIPC and the state government for counting his company worthy for the project, adding that “we are going to invest over N100 million to revitalise the company. And we shall start by producing bottled water to refreshing Plateau and other parts of the country.
“We are also developing brands like soya milk, malt, carbonated drinks, and other nutritional drinks like zobo.”
He said work on the company would take off immediately by cleaning up the company, working on the machines and raising and rebuilding the fallen parts.
Diamond Bank, which is taking up the financing of the project, said it was ready to support the partnership to succeed. Representative of the bank, Mrs. Nancy Akpan described the partnership as wonderful and great.
In his remarks, Chairman Barkin Ladi Local Government Council, who was represented by the Secretary to the Council , Mr. Joshua Adamu, described the partnership as a rewarding one that will be beneficial to the people of the council as it will provide employment to the youths of the area.
“It is an express testimony that peace has finally returned to Barkin Ladi”, he added.
