Plateau State Governor and Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong said he has concluded arrangement for the establishment of tea processing factory in Plateau in collaboration with Kenya Government.
This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding
between Plateau State Government and the Government of Kericho County in Kenya during the visit of Governor Lalong to various Counties of the Country.
In a press statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Simon Macham said the memorandum of understanding was signed on behalf of the two governments by Prof. Danladi Atu, Secretary to Government of Plateau State and Joes Bett, County Secretary of Kericho in Kenya and witnessed by the two Governors.
Lalong, who was taken round the Ketepa Tea Processing and Packaging Company which is the largest tea farming company in Kenya, expressed delight that the gesture will boost the state’s economy and make business flourish in Plateau.
The Managing Director of the Company, Albert Otochi, explained that the company was founded by small scale farmers who are the major shareholders and determine its day to day running through the board of directors.
He said through the cooperative society, farmers are encouraged to cultivate tea and coffee which is then bought off them by the company and processed thereby creating employment for the host communities and boosting their economy.
Governor Lalong said the initiative is to consolidate on the gains of his visit to Kenya, particularly Kericho County which shares a lot of similarities in weather, topography and agricultural endowments with Plateau State.
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“We have other products that can benefit from the processing factory which can result in what could be PLATEAU TEA that will make inroads into the Nigerian market” he said.
Lalong had also visited a private diary farm where he was taken round the production line by the Chairman of the Farm, Gen. John Koech (Rtd) who expressed willingness to share experiences with Plateau State and
indeed other Northern States in modern way of cattle rearing which is not only
profitable but a new way of maintaining communal harmony and better utilization of scarce land resources.
THE GUARDIAN
