MAN chief wants policies for economic growth
From Abiodun Fagbemi,
Ilorin
THE President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mohammed Borodo, has urged the Federal Government to adopt more policies that would lead to the growth of industries in the country.
Lamenting the alleged long neglect of some Federal Government-owned industries across the nation, Borodo, who spoke in Jebba, Moro Local Council Area (LGA) of Kwara State yesterday, said such lackadaisical attitude by government was antithetical to economic growth.
According to him, with the commencement of commercial production of mill at Jebba Paper Mills (JPM) Limited after a lull in activities for 15 years, the prompt revival of such companies by the government would equally serve to create job opportunities for the teeming Nigerian youths.
He said: "I never believed that Nigerian Paper Mill now christened JPM Ltd died... What befell it was due to our uncaring attitude, which led to its resting. In the process many people lost their jobs.
"If we had shown better interest, especially the Federal Government, it would not have happened. Our governments over the years have been insensitive to market forces. If we may ask, why did we allow Michelin and Dunlop, which consumed about 80 per cent of our rubber locally to die? It is because our people in Abuja do not care about what happens to their industries."
The MAN leader urged government to shun policies that would not allow industries to thrive in the country, adding, "if the government cannot help our industries, it should not kill them either."
He commended Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara for his role in the resuscitation of the company as he urged his counterparts to follow suit in their respective states.
Saraki thanked the Federal Government, especially the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), for bringing the company back to life. Besides, he attributed his commitment to the realisation of the goal to his desire to fulfil his electioneering promise to the people of the state.
However, Saraki called for a comprehensive review of some of the major policies on industries in the country, especially, those concerned with low interest lending rate and protection of infant industries.
He added: "A speech alone today cannot express the magnitude of the joy we have as a people over the coming back to life of this mill. In Nigeria, none of our mills is producing today. So, what we are doing today is the beginning of a new era.
"Though we have thrown away some jobs through this but today the jobs will come back to us. We believe that there is no state today in Nigeria that is investor-friendly like Kwara. The issue of power supply that is stable here has added to this claim."
