Gov. Lalong Signs MOU to Establish Tea Factory in Plateau State

By Golok Nanmwa,Jos

Plateau state Government and Government of Kericho County in Kenya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding MOU to establish a tea processing factory in Jos .

A statement signed by Dr. Makut Simon Macham , the Director of Press and Public affairs to Governor Simon Lalong and made available to newsmen in Jos reads that ” A tea processing factory will soon be established in Plateau
State thanks to the visit of Governor Simon Bako Lalong to Kenya on behalf of the Northern Governor’s Forum.”

“This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding
between Plateau State Government and the Government of Kericho County in Kenya following the visit of Governor Lalong to various Counties of the Country.”

The statement further reads that “The memorandum of understanding was signed on behalf of the
two governments by Prof. Danladi Atu, Secretary to Government of Plateau State and Joes Bett, County Secretary of Kericho in Kenya and witnessed by the two Governors.”

“Before the signing of the agreement, Governor Lalong had
taken a tour of the Ketepa Tea Processing and Packaging Company which is the largest tea farming company in Kenya that is driven by farmer cooperative
society.”

He was taken round the company by the Managing Director
Albert Otochi who explained that the company was founded by small scale farmers
who are the major shareholders and determine its day to day running through the
board of directors.

He was told that through the cooperative society, the farmers
are encouraged to cultivate tea and coffee which is then bought off them by the
company and processed thereby creating employment for the host communities and
boosting their economy.

Governor Lalong said the initiative is to consolidate on the
gains of his visit Kenya, particularly Kericho County which shares a lot of
similarities in weather, topography and agricultural endowments with Plateau
State.

“We have other products that can benefit from the processing
factory which can result in what could be PLATEAU TEA that will make inroads
into the Nigerian market” he said.

The Governor also discussed the possibility of training long
distance runners in Kericho which has been the base of Kenya’s athletics
strength over the years.

Lalong had also visited a private diary farm where he was
taken round the production line by the Chairman of the Farm Gen. John Koech
(Rtd) who expressed willingness to share experiences with Plateau State and
indeed other Northern States in modern way of cattle rearing which is not only
profitable but a new way of maintaining communal harmony and better utilization
of scarce land resources.

The Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum was later hosted
to a warm reception at the Office of the Governor of Kericho County where members
of the County Legislature and the Executive were in attendance.

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Gov. Lalong Signs MOU to Establish Tea Factory in Plateau State