The dwindling fortunes of the 12-year-old Bayelsa State Plastic Industry has become source of worries to residents and other stakeholders in the state, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.
Barely 12 years after the establishment of Bayelsa State Plastic Industry, the once vibrant industry has gone moribund with machines and other equipment looted.
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This is happening when many states in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large are trying to diversify their economy from oil to production and industrialisation, while Bayelsa State appears to be looking away from industrial investment.
The plastic factory was the only existing and operational government-owned industry in the state since its creation in 1996, and it was helping in solving the unemployment problem in the state. But sadly, the factory has been allowed to rot away with machines taken away by unknown persons.
The factory was built by the administration of then Governor Timipre Sylva at Elebele community in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state and was commissioned for use in October 2010 by then President Goodluck Jonathan. It was meant to produce all types of PVC pipes, polythene bags, and other plastic needs for use in the state and the country.
The factory was functional during the administration of Timipre Sylva and a greater part of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson’s administration. It was producing pipes for use in the state and other plastics for industrial use.
Though at the tail end of Senator Dickson’s administration, the plastic industry had few challenges, it was still producing until the state government concession the factory to a private partner in 2020 when Governor Douye Diri assumed office
It was gathered that most of the oil-drilling companies operating in the state also got their pipes from the factory, while over 1227 indigenes of the state were directly employed in the factory and several others were employed indirectly.
Read more: https://dailytrust.com/12-years-after-bayelsa-plastic-industry-rots-away
