The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has revealed that several abandoned factories established under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative have been converted into churches after their operations ceased.
According to the Minister, the collapse of some factories was largely due to poor siting decisions, with facilities established in districts lacking the necessary raw materials for sustained production.
Speaking before Parliament’s Assurance Committee, Mr. Ibrahim argued that political considerations, rather than economic viability, influenced the location of some of these projects, contributing to their eventual failure. “We established factories and companies far from the raw materials because politicians were coming from these distant areas. How many of them survived?” he questioned.
He added that some of the abandoned facilities have since been repurposed as places of worship. The Minister also noted that several state-owned enterprises established over the years have either collapsed, been sold, or privatized due to poor planning and sustainability challenges.
Mr. Ibrahim emphasized that the government is determined to avoid repeating such mistakes as it rolls out its proposed 24-hour economy markets. He stressed that future projects will be located based on sound economic and commercial considerations rather than political expediency. “Now we have the authority to conduct research in various districts together with the District Chief Executives, so we can identify where these factories will be economically viable,” he said.
He explained that comprehensive feasibility studies and local economic assessments will guide the siting of future projects to improve long-term sustainability, maximize productivity, and create lasting employment opportunities.
