Gusau — Gusau sweet factory limited can use half of the maize, guinea corn and cassava produced in Zamfara state as raw material, the chairman of the company, Alhaji Yusuf Garba told Sunday Trust in Gusau.

He said a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the Bank of Industry has been signed on the contribution of N500 million matching grant by each to revive the factory that stopped working long time ago.

"The government should pay attention to this important industry that can provide jobs to about 1,000 people. Plan for possible expansion for glucose production is underway and we need about N500 million for that," he added.

Speaking on the production capacity of the industry the Managing Director of the factory Mr Anthony Abdallah Akkari said the factory can produce 40,000 tonnes of confectionery every year.

That is about 12 cartons everyday, adding that the factory was, in its hey days, the second largest sweet factory in the country.

"You know the factory produces for both local and foreign consumption. N150 million is needed to make it start functioning.

That is why we want the state and federal governments to come to the aid of this significant sector of the economy," he said.

The factory was commissioned in December 1972 by the then military governor of the North-west states, Assistant Commissioner Alhaji Usman Farouk.