Business
$1.4bn Plant :Firm Promises To Provide Plenty Jobs
The Indorama Eleme
Fertiliser and Chemicals Limited, IEFCL, Port Harcourt said it would provide thousands of employment in the first quarter of 2016, in effort to reduce youth unemployment.
Spokesman of the company, Dr Jossy Nkwocha, who disclosed this said, “The 1.4 million metric tonnes capacity per annum fertilizer plant and Port terminal will have a huge positive impact on employment in Nigeria.
“Both projects would create thousands of both direct and indirect jobs when commissioned in the first quarter of this year 2016. Currently, about 4,000 workers are engaged in the construction phase of the project.
Nkwocha urged both the Federal and Rivers State governments to assist in creating enabling environment to operate the new fertilizer plant optimally so that it would yield maximum impact on the nation’s economy.
Also commenting, the Chief Executive Officer of Indorama, Mr Manish Mundra, said the project would boost the nation’s agricultural sector, provide needed fertilizers for farmers across the country, improve crop yield, fight hunger and poverty as well as create numerous employment opportunities.
“Indorama fertilizer will greatly enhance Nigeria’s brand reputation as it puts the nation on a global fertilizer map as a producer and exporter of fertilizers,” he said.
He further explained that the fertilizer project is a US $1.4billion Foreign Direct Investment, (FDI) from Indorama Corporation, funded majorly by International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank, and some Nigerian banks.
He stated that the project is reputed as one of Nigeria’s biggest FDIs in the downstream sector of the nation’s economy, thus making Indorama Fertiliser the world’s largest gas-based single stream Urea Plant.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
