The Nation Newspaper

Tag: increases

  • Cocoa production increases to 75% in 25 years

    Local production of cocoa has been raised from 25 per cent to 75 per cent between 1987 and 2013.

    Speaking with The Nation, the Director General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof Peter Onwualu, said the Council achieved this in the last 25 years, adding that over 2,000 jobs were created.

    He said over the years, RMRDC developed policy guidelines and action programmes on raw materials acquisition, exploitation and development.

    “RMRDC has consistently pursued a central mandate aimed at promoting the exploitation, development and utilisation of local raw materials with the objective of accelerating the emergence and growth of research and development of process technology required by resource based industries in Nigeria,” Onwualu said.

    Onwualu blamed inadequate technological capacity of Nigerians for the low level of use of local raw materials.

    He said almost every attempt to use local raw materials for production was inhibited by the high cost occasioned by importation of all equipment which could have been produced locally.

    He said there is need to build the capacity of Nigerians to go beyond the processing of raw materials alone to the fabrication of equipment and machines needed for processing. “I believe that there is a new zeal, but in all these, the major constraint is lack of local capacity, lack of local capacity for technology, and that is why we are talking about research.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Osun increases workers’ car loan by 75 per cent

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has approved 75 per cent increase in the car refurbishing loan to civil servants.

    In a statement, Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget Dr. Wale Bolorunduro said the gesture showed the administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers .

    Bolorunduro said the review is the first since the state was created 22 years ago.

    He said Aregbesola recognises the role of workers in achieving his administration’s goals and would always protect their interests.

    Bolorunduro said the review affects workers from Grade Levels 1 to 17. He said workers initially entitled to N100,000 would now get N170,000 and those on N200,000 are now to get N350,000.

    The commissioner said the loan would be repaid in 60 instalments within five years.

    He urged the workers to reciprocate the gesture by rededicating themselves their work.