Kaduna State Government has commenced plans to revive moribund companies owned by it through the Public-Private Partnership Scheme.

GovernorMukhtarRamalanYero madethe disclosure yesterday at a meeting with Youth Leaders of Zone 1 as part of atwo-day Security and Peace Building Forum held in Zaria.

The governorsaidthat pastattempts to privatise State owned companies like theIkaraTomatoes Company, Ginger Processing Company in Kachia, Zaria Pharmaceuticals Companyand the Sugar Company in Makarfi proved abortive because the factories are not in operation.

He said the state government favours the option of partnership with private companies or individuals to revive the companies in order to maintain some level of control and to ensure optimum utilisation, which will lead to job creation for the teaming unemployed youths in the state.

Alhaji Yerotherefore called onprivate investors thatareinterested in the companies to come forward and negotiate terms with the state government in order tojointly own and revive operations of the companies.

He said his administration is already in talks witha private company that has expressed readiness to build a tomato processing factory in the state, with a view of working out modalitiestowardsreviving the IkaraTomatoes Company.

A statement signed by Ahmed Maiyaki, Director General, Media & Publicity to Governor Yero, explained that the Security and Peace Building Forum was held “in furtherance of efforts by theYeroadministration to provide platform for dialogue towards building genuine reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in the entire state.”

A similar forum was held last week inKagorofor Zone 3, while another is billed to holdsoonin Kaduna for Zone 2.

•Photo: Governor Yero.