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| Former Minister of Industry and National President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr Kola Jamodu, |
Jamodu said this in Ilorin during a familiarisation visit of the national executive members of the association to industries in Kwara State, which include KAM Industries, United Foam, RAJRAB Pharmaceutical company and Forgo Battery industries, among others. The MAN boss noted that it is only through industrialisation that the unemployment problems in the country can be solved.
His words, “if we mean very well for this country on the need to generate employment, such can only be done if manufacturing industries are assisted and revived through infrastructural development.” He said available records have shown that 23 out of every 100 Nigerian are unemployed, stressing that the trend should be urgently redressed. He also explained that the number of unemployed is largely made up of people between the age of 20 to 27, adding that this is the reason why government at all levels need to join hands with manufacturers to solve unemployment problem in the country.
Jamodu further said that the agricultural produce in the country should not be exported without adding value to them. He noted that such move will lead to providing jobs for citizens, and urged government to fashion out policies that would favour establishment of industries in the country.
He said the association has about 2,500 members and that about 70 percent of industries in the country are located in Lagos, Ogun and South Eastern parts of the country, adding that government should accelerate the provision of gas pipeline to encourage establishment of manufacturing industries and their sustenance in other parts of the country.
Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, assured the manufacturers of the state government’s readiness to create incentives that will encourage manufacturing industries to flourish in the state. He said the state will also design policy that will grant tax holiday to manufacturing industries in the state, adding that all bottlenecks will be removed.
Earlier in her address, Chairperson of Kwara and Kogi states chapter of the association, Princess Omolola Olobayo, said the essence of the visit is for the association to evaluate the industrial development in the state. She urged members of the association to continue to be committed to the drive of providing employment to the teaming unemployed youths in the country.
- Vanguard