Nigerian Sugar Company (NISUCO), located at Bacita in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State began operations in 1964 as the first integrated sugar factory in Nigeria. It boasted of great potential for economic and social growth, not only for the state but the entire nation, and like many other public establishments before and after it, its fortune began to nosedive in the early 80s, as a result of poor management of its human and financial resources

Record showed that in 1991, the indigenous sugar factory had attained 23,000 metric tons per day production before its fortune nosedived largely to a number of factors which include poor management, inadequate funding and crippling debts.

The company which is one of the pioneering sugar manufacturing companies in the country was eventually sold to private investors during the privatisation programme of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. Until its liquidation, NISUCO was famous for the production of quality sugar and it had the capacity of providing employment opportunities to the large number of people, within and outside Kwara State.

Investigations by Saturday Newswatch also revealed that the sprawling sugar cane plantation from where the  immediate source of raw materials to the company were obtained, also indirectly created employment opportunities for hunters and meat sellers around the area.

Besides many hectares of land cultivated by the company for sugar cane productions, many natives were also involved in the cultivation of raw materials at their different levels.

Without warning, the beehive of economic and social activities associated with the once vibrant sugar company became a ghost of itself; production was brought to a halt as the fortune of the company hit the dust. Sadly, many skilled and unskilled workers were sent to the already saturated labour market. The multibillion naira factory complex was taken over by reptiles, rodents and nocturnal animals.

However, in line with the privatisation of public companies during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, NISUCO, Bacita was sold by the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) to a private investor, Josepdam Sugar Company, a division of Josepdam Group of Companies

But calamity struck in August 2011. The step which many indigenes of the communities described as the best step any government in the country has taken to revive their economic lives, suffered another setback.

This was occasioned by the death in a helicopter crash of the Chairperson of Josepdam Group of Companies, Mrs. Josephine Damilola Kuteyi, at Ife-Odan in Osun State, shattering the dream of a positive development, and dampening the zeal of the company to realize its mission and vision.

It was further gathered that Josepdam Sugar Company Limited was formed to take over the assets and operations of the once moribund NISUCO, Bacita, even as the people express the hope that the development has brought succor their way, and were looking forward to see the sugar factory hum again.

When Saturday Newswatch visited the complex during the week, a reasonable number of workers were seen within the complex. All attempts to get the workers speak to our correspondent proved abortive as they claimed none of them has the permission to make any comment on the company for now, advising that all enquiries be directed to Josepdam administrative headquarters in Lagos State.

Further investigations showed that the company at present can boast of at least 50 permanent staff and about 250 casual staff working in the administrative, factory and field machinery sectors while an unconfirmed report also put the number of security personnel at about 50.

Nevertheless, a senior management staff in the company who does not want his name in print confided in this medium that it had been refining raw sugar since last year.

He said: “There is strong indication that the company will next year start the crushing of its sugar cane. I would have said the crushing exercise would commence by January, but for the sudden death of our chairperson. The wound is yet to be fully healed.

“The main objective of the company is to go into full scale sugar production which includes: milling, refining and distribution of sugar and its by-products. Josepdam Sugar currently employs about 250 staff. “In addition to refining sugar, Josepdam Sugar intends to produce and sell the following by-products on a commercial scale: Ethanol, electricity, alcohol and molasses”, the staff explained.

It is expected that with the expansive sugar cane plantation already cultivated, the company will, undoubtedly, stop the refining of raw sugar, and embark on massive crushing of sugar cane.

The initial fears facing the sugar company as this medium gathered, had since been overcome. These include the alleged inexperience of some of the then newly recruited staff in sugar cane plantation, factory maintenance, and human resources management.    But with the reportedly engagement of most of the former staffers of the NISUCO to blend with some of the new ones, the challenges appear surmounted.

Another problem still facing the staff and management of the company, a source added, is that of the Fulani herdsmen’s incursion into the sugar cane plantation for cattle grazing. However, with the intervention of administration of Edu Local Government Council, the constant crises between the local community and the company staff has been contained.

With procurement of equipment such as steam turbine, electric motor, sand casting, foundry practice, sugar filtration, boilers, sugar melter, crystallizer, evaporators and evaporators’ heaters, “those who bought the company are not regretting doing so today. The prospects are very high.  Even our late chairman until her death never showed any reason to regret her action”.