By Onome Oghenetega
A prominent Niger Delta traditional ruler and Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom in Delta State, His Majesty, King Obukohwo Monday Whiskey, Udurhie I, has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the reopening of Madewell Portland Cement Factory shut down over 12 years ago.
Madewell Portland Cement Factory, a subsidiary of Madewell Group, was among the six regional cement factories shut down by the Federal Government under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The company, which was representing the South-South region, is located at Jesse town (Otorho), traditional headquarters of Idjerhe Kingdom in the Ethiope West LGA of Delta State.
Madewell Portland Cement Factory is owned by the current Chairman of Cement Producers Association of Nigeria, Prince David Okpako Iweta.
Speaking on Thursday when he paid an unscheduled visit to the site of the cement factory, the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom decried the decision of the FG to close down the six regional factories in the country.
The monarch, who lamented the dilapidation of factory machines and other equipment at the site, noted that the decision was responsible for the soaring prices of cement and the high cost of building in the country.
The royal father posited that the shutting down of the factory has affected the socio-economic life of the people of the area, stressing that there was need to revisit the issue and reopen them in the interest of the country.
Accompanied by some palace chiefs, the Urhobo monarch appealed to the President Tinubu’s government to renew and reissue operational licences to Madewell Cement Factory and five others unjustly shut down by the government.
He further added that the reopening of the cement companies will help the current administration to stabilise the economy as well as create jobs for thousands of unemployed youths in the country.
The outspoken Ovie of Idjerhe further added that reopening of the factory would also help to crash the soaring prices of cement and other costs of building construction in the country.
“The reopening of this factory will help to resolve the high cost and demand for cement. As we speak, no two or three, or four companies can get enough cement to meet cement consumption for Nigerians”, the revered monarch stated.
According to him, “I am here with my chiefs to inspect the abandoned Madewell Portland Cement Factory here in Jesse (Otorho-Idjerhe) town in Idjerhe Kingdom of Delta State. This is one of the abandoned companies within my kingdom and it’s the desire of our people to see the factory return back to life.
“It is over 12 years ago this project was brought down by cabals in the cement industry. It had already created over 2000 direct jobs and over 10,000 indirect jobs in the Nigerian economy before the unfortunate decision.
“As a king of this land, I see pain and I believe that with the coming in of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who is business-oriented, a man who is economically viable, he knows the importance of the cement sector to the Nigerian economy.
“If we must make the development of shelter one of the basic requirements of human existence. And when this place was shut down, a lot of young men, a lot of artisans who were working here lost their jobs.
“I came here to plead with Mr. President to revisit or grant the re-issue of the six licenses that were issued at regional business. The Cement industry is too large for one man or one company to deal in, no individual can do this.”
Speaking further, the Royal father explained that, “As we speak of the 500,000 metric tonnes that was approved for Madewell Portland cement, only 50,000 metric tonnes of this came to Nigeria. It was disposed of in less than four or five months; there’s still over 450,000 metric tonnes in China.
“As it is, I and the good people have agreed to plead with the Federal Government to revisit that injustice that was done to our great son, Prince David Iweta, MD/CEO Madewell Cement, that was done to a South-South son, that was done to a Nigerian who is business-oriented, who believes in the right way of doing things.
“Madewell, as an industry player and very patriotic. Some of them went to court. They collected a huge amount of money from the Federal Government.
“But he didn’t go to court because he believed that a day like this would come. And I believe that Mr. President as a listening President will listen to this very important cry and plea.
“So, the best decision the government took then was to ensure that there is a Portland Cement factory, one in each region that is outside the major players and the licences that were issued to them were for them to first import cement.
“But an individual wrote a petition telling the government of Nigeria that they have no reason to import cement and that those who were importing should be stopped so that he remained the only authority in the cement industry in Nigeria. I think it is wicked. I think it is wrong. I think it is an option that is not viable, the government ought to know that.”
