Mambilla Beverages Responds On ‘Malicious’ Media Publication

From Nick Yashi

The management of the Mambilla Beverages Company, producers of Highland Tea, has described a recent media publication against the company as malicious, irresponsible, false and “an attempt by the enemies of progress to gain undue publicity”. It was learnt that one Akentere Hikon wrote a piece with the title ” Highland Tea House of Commotion” where he levelled some allegations against officials of the company hinging on staff recruitment, equipment of the company and the recent trip to Kenya by some officials of government.

The statement read: “Indeed, some of the equipment and machineries in the company were acquired almost 4 decades ago, but they are functioning effectively. His Excellency Dr. Kefas has just approved the gradual replacement of some of the machineries immediately after the Taraba Investment summit and the Board has directed the company to commence the process immediately“.

“This does not in any way affect the current operations of the company.The company is currently operating at 90% of its installed capacity and plans are already on for the increase in its productive capacity. We commenced the expansion of the tea plantation since 2024,”. The statement further revealed that the company has been paying dividends of N50 million over the years and plans to ramp it up under the leadership of the current Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Kara, who has done so much in changing the fortunes of the company. The statement read: “It is true that the company has been paying dividend of N50 million annually for the past 5 years from 2020 to 2024 financial years. However, the current management is working very hard to ensure that it surpasses the N50 million annual dividend payments by the end of the financial year ending 31st December, 2025. “The appointment of Dr. Abubakar Kara as the acting Managing Director/CEO was based purely on merit. Dr. Kara holds a Ph.D. degree in Agric economics from a prestigious university in Malaysia. Since his assumption of office in March, 2025, the company has been experiencing a lot of growth, especially in tea plantation expansion and harvest as well as curtailing incidences of green tea theft. The operational cost in the company has dropped drastically. Staff welfare has been enhanced thereby leading to improved output”. According to the statement, the allegation that the total assets of the company dropped to N3 billion from N13 billion just few years ago was untrue and that “the company since 2024 has been acquiring fixed assets to replace some of the obsolete ones”” and this has increased productivity. “For clarity of the readers, the total net assets of the company as at half year ended 31st June, 2025 stood at over N17 billion, ” the statement revealed. The statement added that the new Managing Director did not embark on any recruitment to warrant the allegation of ethnic bias. It also added that the company was not indebted and does not owe staff salaries but prioritizes on staff welfare. “Let it be known that Dr. Kara has not embarked on new staff recruitment since he assumed duty as the acting managing Director/CEO. So the allegation of 85% of the workforce of the company from particular ethnic group is malicious and wicked with the intent to stir up ethnic crisis in the community. The current staff disposition has been so since 2022. “The company is not currently indebted to any of its suppliers or the employees. Salaries and wages are paid as and when due. The new management, with approval of the Board, has fully implemented the new minimum wage. The welfare scheme of the employees has been enhanced and the staff union are happy hence the absence of the staff restiveness. The industrial harmony has fully returned to the company, ” the statement read. The statement also defended the position of the Secretary to the state Government, Chief GT Kataps, in the company as well as the recent trip to Kenya by Taraba officials. “On the issue of the Chief (Barr.) GT. Kataps as Secretary to the State Government (SGS) chairing the Board, this is clearly stated in the Memorandum and Articles of Association (Memart) of the company at the point of incorporation with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), which states the composition of the members of the Board and its chairman. This provision predates chief Kataps. Since the company incorporation, all SGSs have been the chairmen of the company. “The visit of some of the company officials and other stakeholders to Kenya was not a desperate move to rescue the company as insinuated in the write-up. The Mambila Beverage Nigeria Limited as at today is financial buoyant and with positive net cash flow. The main purpose of the visit was more of a study tour, to under-study the Kenya’s experience, being the largest tea producing country in Africa. The visit indeed avails the officials of the company the opportunities to study the regulatory framework, modern approach to tea farming and tea production as well as tea marketing, ” the statement concluded. The statement then gave the assurance that the visit of the state officials to Kenya has opened doors for future collaboration and partnership with Kenyan tea producers, Kipchimchim. Dr. Kara the acting MD holds a PhD. degree in Agricultural Economics with specialization in production Economics and Farm Management from prestigious Universiti Putra Malaysia. This shows that the issue of competence is not an issue