NWIFURU REVAMPS ABANDONED VETERINARY CENTRE, TARGETS 2,000 JOBS IN EBONYI

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has commenced the reconstruction of a 60-year-old abandoned veterinary facility at Izhiangbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state. The facility, being developed under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project, L-PRES, is expected to support modern veterinary education, animal health services and agricultural development while creating employment opportunities for residents.

Nwifuru disclosed this after inspecting the project, which occupies about 295 hectares of land. He said the completed facility would accommodate a veterinary college, modern abattoirs, a hospital and grazing reserves capable of accommodating about 2,000 herders. It will also include farming areas for piggery, grasscutter production and other ruminants as part of efforts to expand livestock production and strengthen the state’s agricultural economy.

The governor said the project is expected to provide employment for about 2,000 people when fully operational. He added that contracts had already been awarded for the construction of 27 of the proposed 86 buildings planned for the facility. The structures include administrative buildings, students’ hostels, staff quarters and lecture theatres, with construction work currently ongoing at the site.

According to Nwifuru, some aspects of the project, particularly the access roads, had been affected by the rainy season. He said full construction activities would resume in November, while expressing confidence that several of the buildings would be completed by December. The governor also appealed to indigenes of the area to continue supporting the project, noting that contractors had so far not reported cases of theft or disruption at the site.

The state L-PRES consultant, Dr Usman Ali Lawan, said the project was designed to improve livestock production and bring it closer to global standards while creating jobs for the people. He commended the state government for reviving the long-abandoned facility and said its development would provide opportunities in veterinary education, animal health, livestock production and related agricultural activities. The project is expected to form part of Ebonyi’s wider efforts to expand its livestock sector and create new economic opportunities.