BURE – The Country’s biggest oil project which has been under construction in Amhara state, Bure town by Belayneh Kinde Import and Export Associates Company is 95 percent complete.
The company Construction Chief Executive Officer Enyew Wassie told senior officials and media personnel who made a field visit to the project yesterday that the grand factory is lying on 28.7 hectare land incorporates several factories including oil, sessame processing, cartoon, plastic and soap.
The factory produces 1.3 million litre oil per day which covers about 50 to 60 percent of national oil demand, he said, adding that the whole project is almost completed by 95 percent and the company is sets to make commissioning so as to launching production within three months.
Company owner and CEO Belayneh Kinde for his part said that the project is intended to feed the high oil demand in the country. “It is import substitution and export oriented project,” he said.
The company is a leading sessame exporter and now it is going to export it in a processed way, he stated.
“Therefore, we are going to produce about 500 million litre oil per annum to curb shortage in the area,” as to Belayneh.Ministry of Trade and Industry State Minister Teka Gebreyesus said on the occasion that the factory will play significant role in supplying edible oil and saving foreign currency spend to import the product.
As to him, the nation has been spending millions of dollars to import food oil each year. “However, thanks to this and other similar upcoming factories, the nation will halt importing oil almost in less than a year.”
Among others, the factory has faced lack of basic infrastructures like power and water. Currently the factory is using underground water and waiting response from the state investment bureau to curb the electricity shortage, as to Enyew.
State Industry and Investment Bureau pledged to electrify the factory within 20 days. Bureau Promotion and Communication Director Yihenew Alem said that the water shortage is challenging one and will be solved in the long run. Therefore, his bureau encourages private owners to utilize underground water as the new oil project is undergoing.
The project has created over 400 jobs during the construction period and will create about 3,000 when it goes fully operational, Enyew said.
The company plans to support the surrounding community from processed byproducts in terms of soap, plate food and fodder, he noted.
The Ethiopian Herald February 25/2020
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
