The Managing Director, Benue Investment and Property Company, (BIPC) Dr. Raymond Asemakaha has said that a new brand of beer that would be brewed by the company would hit the market first week of December this year.
Dr. Asemakaha, who disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking with journalists in Makurdi, after inspecting work at the proposed brewery site located at KM 16 Akile, along Makurdi- Gboko road, informed that BIPC under his management considered the project worth while having discovered that the alcoholic consumption in the state was on the high side.
The MD noted that the alcoholic consumption in Benue is within the range of 850-870 million naira sales per month and based on the discovery of this research, those selling beer in the state were taking out money meant for development of the state.
According to him “what we need to do is to float a new company since the old Benue brewery, brewers of the former “more beer” is sold out so that we can use the beer factory in returning the cash flow within the system, since alcohol is highly consumed in the state”.
The BIPC boss also revealed that traders dealing in beer make brisk business of about 850- 870 million naira profit monthly through beer consumption by the people.
He emphasized that Benue people gulp up to 1 billion naira worth in sales of beer during December of every year, and stressed that when the brewery becomes operational it would help reduce capital freight by ensuring that the cash flow within the system continued circulation within the system as well as help take youths off the streets.
Asemakaha further informed that the brewery for a start targets about 180,000 capacity of production per day which according to him is in line with the fermentation period of alcohol which is within 15 days.
He said that the company does not intend to go into competition with already existing companies producing similar products, as the companies intention is only to protect by returning the state cash flow into the system for more development to take place.
The MD urged the people of the state to key into the companies new product through massive patronage like they have been doing in the case of other similar products for the state to generate enough revenue to develop the state.
Already, land for the site, according to the BIPC boss has been acquired, while government was intending to spend about 700-800 million naira for the beer factory.
He disclosed further that BIPC would raise the capital funding from Benue indigenes both at home and in the diaspora for them to take ownership to avoid the mistake of the Aper Aku administration where companies established,solely by government collapsed because of lack of individual participation and ownership.
” We want Benue people to own these businesses, we’ll raise capital among the people for them to have shares for others to manage. BIPC is also looking at a situation where every Local Government Council will have one percent share, with the 23 LGAs given one share each and the remaining given to individuals of Benue origin”Asemakaha explained.
He expressed delight that the present administration was equally intending to make the state a business hub for its indigenes who have gone to school and acquired certificates but are still roaming the streets without jobs to get themselves something doing and advised such people, especially youths to key into business to improve their living conditions.