Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia has reaffirmed his administration's determination to industrialize Benue State, expressing confidence that Taraku Mills will soon commence production following the ongoing rehabilitation works at the facility.

The Governor stated this recently when he led a delegation of the Benue State Government on an inspection tour of the maintenance works at Taraku Mills in Gwer East Local Government Area.

Speaking after inspecting the facility, Governor Alia expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded, noting that the level of work done was encouraging and in line with the earlier projection for the commencement of production.

He called on farmers across the state, particularly those cultivating soybeans, maize and groundnuts, to increase production in readiness to supply the factory with adequate raw materials throughout the year once test-running is completed and full operations begin.

The Governor explained that the revival of the mill would create a strong value chain around soybeans and maize, stimulate agricultural activities, generate employment and further strengthen the state's economy. He added that Benue's economy had already begun witnessing significant improvement through the reforms introduced by the Federal Government and his administration over the past three years.

Governor Alia commended the team of engineers handling the maintenance works for their dedication and professionalism, while also appreciating the people of Taraku for safeguarding the factory against vandalism and theft over the years. He described members of the host community as disciplined, responsible and committed to the success of the project.

Earlier, the lead engineer overseeing the rehabilitation, Engr. James Ikyurve, informed the Governor that the maintenance exercise was nearing completion and assured him that the timeline set for the commencement of production would be achieved.

He thanked Governor Alia for personally inspecting the facility and applauded the administration's bold decision to revive Taraku Mills, describing the project as a major step towards the industrial and economic transformation of Benue State.

During the inspection, several machines whose maintenance had been completed were powered on and demonstrated to the Governor and members of his delegation as evidence of the significant progress made towards restoring the factory to full operational capacity.