From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO), Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), Raymond Asemakaha, has disclosed that the company makes a N4.4 million after tax deductions from the sale of its bread every monthly.
Recall that the Benue state government commissioned the BIPC Bakery in May 2024 as part of efforts to increase the businesses of the company, create jobs and increase Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.
The Managing Director said the N4.4 million were proceeds made from 2million loaves of bread sold by the company on monthly basis.
He explained that the company was in the market to break the high cost of products and also ensure that the Benue people get quality for their money.
Asemakaha spoke at a one day capacity building/training workshop on Economic Reporting organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue State Council, and sponsored by his company, BIPC, in Makurdi on Friday.
Speaking on the topic “Financial Reporting: What the Media eeds to Know” Asemakaha while appreciated the media for what they have been doing in setting agenda for Government and disseminating the good policies and programmes of state government.
He called on the media to continue the good work urging them to partner with BIPC to fight corruption in the market place especially in the high cost of food items.
He further disclosed that work on the State’s Brewery has reached 75 percent completion while the company intends to commence work on the Benue fruit juice company, Benfruits company, next week.
The MD who stated the need to retain cash flow within the state, as a measure of salvaging the economic situation of the state, he observed that when Benue Brewery Limited (BBL) and Benue Cement Company (BCC), were ‘taken out’, it affected the inflow of cash into the economic of the state.
He however lamented the rising cost of foodstuff in the state, including fruits, saying the intention of BIPC to partner other agencies to crash the rising cost of food items, which he said was on the high side in Benue.
He explained that his organization is expected to meet with market associations to work out modalities of bringing down prices of food items, even as he advocated the setting up an Agency that would regulate prices of commodities in the market.
Dr Asemakaha, who pledged that BIPC would grant newsmen access to the desired information, he stated that the company was open to criticism, adding that BIPC was open to working with the media in order to ensure that they report accurately.
Earlier, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Kula Tersoo, said the lack of trust and transparency has affected the relationship between government and the media.
In his paper titled “Sustaining Government – Media Relationship in Nigeria in the 21st Century,” the CPS urged newsmen to guard against sensational journalism where journalists write reports that cannot be defended or substantiated emphasizing that timely and accurate reporting makes way for good government media relationship.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, Stephen Numbeve, State Coordinator, RAAMP, said, journalists were critical to the development of any society, insisting that any society that intends to develop and grow, must endeavor to work with journalists.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Benue State Bureau for Education Quality Assurance (BEQA), Dr. Terna Francis, applauded BIPC for sponsoring the training for journalists saying training and retraining of human capital was critical to achieving desired results in any sector.
