Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has said the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) Centre in Izhiangbo will create about 2,000 jobs when completed.
Governor Nwifuru disclosed this on Sunday, September 20, 2026, shortly after inspecting the ongoing project, stating that his administration was committed to creating employment opportunities and expanding economic growth in the state.
The Governor explained that the facility was formerly an abandoned 60-year-old veterinary facility but was now being reconstructed to address contemporary veterinary education, healthcare and agricultural needs of Ebonyi State in particular and the country in general.
According to Governor Nwifuru, the massive facility occupies 295 hectares of land and will accommodate a veterinary college, modern abattoirs, a hospital, grazing reserves with a capacity for about 2,000 herders, as well as farming enclaves for piggery, grasscutter production and other ruminants.
He disclosed that contracts for the construction of 27 buildings out of the proposed 86 buildings had been awarded, covering administrative facilities, student hostels, staff quarters and lecture theatres, with construction already in progress.
“We have 295 hectares of land here. We are going to build about 27 buildings in the first instance. The contract for the construction of the 27 buildings has all been awarded,” the Governor said.
Nwifuru noted that some sections of the project, particularly the access roads, had been stalled by the rainy season, but said construction would commence fully in the coming months.
“We have agreed that full construction should commence in November this year,” he said.
The Governor also urged indigenes of the area to demonstrate a sense of ownership and support the successful construction of the project.
“We are looking at an employment level of about 2,000 workforce here. I thank you for your cooperation as I have not received any news of stealing and social violations. No contractor has complained of any disruptions by way of theft.
“I can assure you that by December this year, many buildings here will be completed,” he added.
Conducting the Governor round the facility, the Ebonyi State Government L-PRES Consultant, Dr. Usman Ali Lawan, said the project was designed to ensure that livestock production meets global standards while also providing jobs for the people.
Lawan commended Governor Nwifuru for his proactiveness and foresight in initiating people-centred projects.
