By Chiangi Avese, Makurdi
The Manager of Pure Bio-Tech Company Limited, Abdulkadir Mohammed, has urged the Benue State Government to create a more conducive business environment to attract private investment and expand industrial activities in the state.
Mohammed made the call over the weekend, while speaking on the operations and economic impact of the cassava-processing company, which converts fresh and dried cassava into ethanol
He said sustained private investment in agricultural processing would provide reliable markets for farmers, create jobs and stimulate economic activities across Benue.
According to him, Pure Bio-Tech currently sources cassava from eight states — Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Taraba, Bauchi and Cross River — with Benue accounting for about 40 per cent of its allocated supply arrangements and contributing as much as 65 per cent of actual supplies.
Mohammed said the factory had created a major industrial market for cassava, helping farmers who previously struggled to sell their produce.
He recalled that dried cassava, locally known as kpor, sometimes attracted such low prices that farmers resorted to using it as firewood, manure for tree crops and powdered material for marking football fields.
He said the company’s demand had created opportunities for farmers, aggregators and transporters across the cassava value chain.
Mohammed added that Pure Bio-Tech had introduced standard weighing scales for cassava purchases to provide a common basis for determining the quantity of produce traded by farmers and processors.
Beyond its impact on the agricultural value chain, he said the company had employed several Benue indigenes in areas including safety management, human resources, accounting, legal services and cassava supervision.
He also listed some interventions in the host community, including seven boreholes, electricity facilities and a transformer purchased at N11.5 million.
The company, he added, supplied armoured cable reportedly valued at N1.5 million and was constructing a school in the community, while also providing annual festive support to residents.
Mohammed said the factory’s presence had also contributed to security in the area, which he said was previously affected by violent conflict.
According to him, soldiers are stationed around the company’s frontage, while naval personnel provide security at the river end.
He said the sustained economic activities generated by the factory had helped transform the character of the area.
On allegations of air and water pollution, Mohammed acknowledged that the company faced regulatory challenges during its test-running phase in 2022 after water overflow occurred.
He said the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) subsequently shut the company temporarily in 2023.
Mohammed, however, said the company had since met regulatory requirements and obtained an Environmental Impact Assessment certificate.
He added that environmental consultants now conduct monthly tests on the company’s waste, with reports submitted to NESREA.
The manager also explained the company’s decision to restrict some small-truck deliveries of cassava, citing repeated problems involving improperly dried produce, congestion at the factory gates and protests.
He said the company could only purchase quantities it had the capacity to process and store.
Mohammed also denied allegations that suppliers pay bribes to secure supply slots, insisting that the company operates a transparent supply-allocation system.
“We ensure transparency and fairness in supply allocation, maintain quality standards in our operations and try to meet up with our corporate social responsibilities to our host,” he said.
