Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has said that  his government was presently engaged in negotiations to acquire the moribund Star Paper Mill, Aba and bring the industry back to life.
He made this known during a grand civic reception organised in his honour by the Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU) at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba.
Otti said that his government has already made a buyback offer to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria(AMCON), which took over the Paper Mill after it shut down.
The Abia Governor noted that the hitherto blossoming Star Paper Mill had gone under thereby necessitating its takeover by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria(AMCON), which is yet to revive it.

“I grew up here (in Aba), I was born here, I knew how important Star Paper Mill was, not just to Aba, not just to Abia State, not just to the East of the Niger, but to Nigeria,” Otti recalled with nostalgia. As we speak, we know that Star Paper Mill has been taken over by AMCON. (But) one thing you can take to the bank is that under our watch, Star Paper Mill will be back,”Otti assured.

Star Paper Mill, which in its hey day, ranked among Nigeria’s finest producers of exercise books, tissue paper and other paper products, was owned by a renowned Aba-based, Abiriba-born industrialist, Nnanna Kalu.

After his death, his son, (now late) took over the management of the paper mill but the harsh economic climate dealt a devastating blow to the company, forcing it to close down over a decade ago.

Meanwhile, Otti has also promised to restore light to Ohafia Local Government which has been in darkness for over five years following the vandalism of electricity infrastructures in the area.

He said that the cloud of darkness which has been hanging above Ohafia LG, would eventually be disperse as the affected communities would soon have light restored to them.