From Mba Nnenna- Abakaliki
Ebonyi State owned pipe factory has commenced full production of pipes of all sizes.
The State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon Oguzor Offia-Nwali, disclosed this when he led members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council to an on-the-spot assessment of the ongoing revitalization of the hitherto moribund pipe factory on Monday.
The pipe factory which is located at Izhiamgbo was established by Governor Martin Elechi’s administration but was abandoned for years and facilities vandalized.
The visit was part of the activities to mark this year’s Press Week of NUJ in the State.
Oguzor stated that the pipe production machines have the capacity to produce over six thousand five, hundred pipes, ranging from 20mm to 160mm, daily.
“We have fully commenced production of pipes. Currently, we’re producing pipes ranging from 20mm to 75mm, and from 75mm to 160mm daily.
“We have HDP five production machines that produce sizes such as 360 and 420mm, as well as HDP machines that produce 20mm, 25mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 90mm, 160mm, and 210mm. The factory already has machines capable of producing pipes in the best gauge.
“The factory has machines that produce between 70mm and 25mm, capable of producing 2,500 pipes at night and 2,500 pipes during the day due to their fast nature. However, the 75mm to 160mm pipes are slower due to their shape, producing between 1,200 and 1,500 pipes a day. So, the factory has the capacity to produce 5,000 pipes of 25mm to 70mm daily, and 1,200 to 1,500 pipes of 75mm to 160mm daily,” the Commissioner explained.
The Commissioner also disclosed the state government’s readiness to equip the factory with both manpower and necessary resources for optimal operation, adding that the factory operates continuously for six working days.
“Every pipe you find in the market is either 3mm or 3.5mm, but our governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, being committed to quality, insisted that we produce only the best for the people of Ebonyi and beyond, which is why we are manufacturing pipes with a 4mm gauge.
“We operate day and night shifts because, each time you turn off the machine, it takes about 3 to 4 hours to restart production. So, once we start, we run from Monday to Saturday, with night shifts handing over to morning shifts, and we use Sundays to rest.”
He further emphasized that the factory is capable of producing enough pipes to serve the South East region and beyond, encouraging prospective buyers to be patient as prices of pipes produced in the factory would soon be made public.
“We have best quality and quantity for both distributors and end-users. Since there’s no other pipe production plant in the South East, we are receiving calls from Anambra, Enugu, and Abia. However, we will update our prices before the close of business today to enable us to take orders from our callers.
Asked about the challenge of epileptic power supply in the country and how he was ready to cope with it, Oguzor said: “We have three diesel generators supplying power, along with industrial electricity that provides at least 20 hours of power daily, which we supplement with the diesel engines.”
Speaking on the workforce, the Commissioner said the State had hired workers to work in the factory but we’re still undergoing training.
He said those operating the machines currently were recommended by the company that produced the machines.
“The governor has approved twenty operational staff, knowing that the machines are delicate and require at least eight to ten staff per line to prevent jams and burnouts.
“Currently, we have twenty individuals undergoing training, as the staff currently present were recommended by the company for their high maintenance skills.
“Once training is completed, these twenty workers will be deployed. However, my proposal to His Excellency is for 120 staff, as our goal is to produce both pipes and accessories and I’m sure we will get there, ” he concluded.
On his part, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, Comrade Samson Nwafor, commended the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for revamping the factory, saying it’s a demonstration of his avowed determination to industrialize the State.
Nwafor also commended the Commissioner for Commerce and Industries, Hon. Oguzor Offia-Nwali and the Management of the ministry, for delivering on the mandate assigned to them and urged them to sustain the tempo.
