Kebbi awards N283m contract to modernise State Printing Press
The Kebbi State Government has commenced full-scale rehabilitation and modernisation of its Printing Press in Birnin Kebbi, following the approval of a N283 million contract by Governor Nasir Idris.
The project, which includes the refurbishment of structures and overhaul of machinery, aims to revive the dormant facility and enhance the state’s internal revenue generation capacity.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday visited the site alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sa’idu Buhari Warrah, to assess the progress of work.
During the inspection, the Director of the State Printing Press, Bashar Shehu, led the team through various sections of the facility and explained the functions of key equipment undergoing refurbishment or replacement.
These include the GTO machine, KORD machine, MO machine, cutting machine, heavy stitching machine, rimming machine, and perforating machine.
He disclosed that Governor Idris has also approved the installation of new digital equipment to replace obsolete models.
These include the Digital Direct Plate, Computer Suppression Machine, and Computer-to-Plate Machine.
In his remarks, the Commissioner said: “After several years of inactivity, His Excellency, Governor Nasir Idris, approved this contract to bring the Printing Press back to full operational capacity. While some equipment will be refurbished, others that can no longer meet modern standards will be replaced entirely.”
He added that a key motivation behind the project is to strengthen the confidentiality of government documents.
“Relying on external sources for the printing of sensitive materials poses a risk to official secrecy, something this administration is determined to prevent,” he said.
Yakubu Birnin Kebbi further announced that the rehabilitation is expected to be completed within two to three months.
He expressed confidence in the leadership of the Director of the Printing Press and noted that additional staff would be recruited and trained to operate the new equipment.
The Commissioner also revealed that after the completion of the Printing Press project, the State History Bureau, one of the four units under the Ministry, will also undergo similar modernisation.
