The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pledges support

  • RMRDC pledges support to economic diversification

    Raw Material Research & Development Council (RMRDC), Director-General Dr. Hussaini Ibrahim Dikko has pledged the Council’s readiness to contribute its quota to the growth and development of the economy.

    He made the promise at the opening of the Fourth Annual Nigeria Raw Materials and Equipment Manufacturing (NIRAM) expo in Lagos. It was themed: “Optimising value chain towards growth and competitiveness in the manufacturing sector”.

    At the event, which was in collaboration with the RMRDC, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Clarion Event Managers, Dikko said the Council had on display raw materials that, if tapped by manufacturers, would aid in diversifying the economy and reversing the nation’s over-dependence on oil.

    He said RMRDC was set to add higher capacity to the manufacturing sector, especially in the cement sector with added value to limestone and gypsum used in cement manufacturing.

    Power, Works & Housing Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) said the Federal Government was poised to provide transportation infrastructure to encourage wider markets for manufactured goods.

    Fashola, who was represented by Highways Director in the Ministry, Mr. Terna Ibe, said the manufacturing sector has the potential of reinvigorating the economy by avoiding over reliance on oil.

    The government, he said, was committed to improving the main artillery road networks across the nation and opening up new roads for men and materials required to build the economy, noting that his ministry has also constructed 3,000 housing units across the country, using local building materials.

    Minister of State for Mines & Steel Abubakar Bawa Bwari said the nation’s climate encourages agriculture and pledged his ministry’s preparedness to add value to the materials before exportation.

    He said his ministry has the mandate to exploit raw minerals and add value to them to enable manufacturers apply them in their manufacturing processes.

    According to Bwari, the ministry has expended N30 million in mineral explorations, and geo-sciences data have been made available to investors to enable them make investment decisions.

    He praised the World Bank for the $150million grant, which he said has helped the ministry to showcase the abundant mineral deposits in the country for the manufacturing sector.

    Earlier, MAN President, Mansur Ahmed, explained that the expo was aimed at creating a platform where stakeholders in the raw materials value chain will come together to synergise, display and trade in available resources and raw materials with users of the products.

    He said the organisers intended to close the information gap and encourage local sourcing of available raw materials by manufacturing industries, in line with the Federal Government’s Backward Integration Programme (BIP).

    Ahmed recalled that the third edition of the expo impacted greatly on the economy. He confirmed that this year’s edition was a continuation of the success story recorded last year.

    He said MAN has been given a leading role in the establishment of the African Manufacturer’s Association (AMA), stating that this was a fallout of the recent Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF).

    According to MAN chief, AMA would provide the platform for African manufacturers to address the challenges confronting sustainable industrialisation  of Africa and trade among them.

    He commended the  administration’s commitment to engage the organised private sector through the Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Council and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

    Clarion Event Managers representative, Mr. Runsel Hills, said they were at the fair to provide and encourage technology solutions and value added raw materials to manufacturers.

    He said with their experience of holding 200 conferences and expos yearly with 2,500 employees, they were strategically placed to deliver services to exhibitors, manufacturers and visitors to the fair.

    He added that this year’s expo hosted 300 exhibitors and more than 600 equipment vendors.

  • Wogu pledges support for Wabara

    Former Minister of Labour and Productivity Emeka Wogu has assured the Abia South All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial candidate, Sir Marc Wabara of his support in the elections.

    He spoke at his Aba home yesterday when Wabara visited him.

    Wogu said he believed in the unity and oneness of the Ukwa/Ngwa political bloc, adding that Wabara, apart from being an indigene of Ukwa who should go to the Senate this year, has the experience and requisite political exposure to represent the people of Abia South at the National Assembly.

    Wabara, who was accompanied by some members of his campaign council, lauded Wogu for his contributions to the development of Abia South, state and Nigeria, and solicited his support in the elections.

    Wabara, who said people like him routed for Abia State to be known as God’s own state, believing it would drive those in government to deliver good governance to the people, regretted that this was not the case today.

    According to him, non-performance by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would chase the party out of government as the people would no longer tolerate excuses for non-performance.

    Wabara described his host as a major player in Nigerian politics and a friend of Ukwa people, stressing that effective, purposeful and transparent representation were the forces propelling him to the red chamber.

  • FG pledges support for windstorm victims in Katsina

    President Muhammadu Buhari  yesterday in Katsina plegded  Federal Government’s assistance  to those affected by the recent windstorm in the state.

    Buhari told the  Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir, during a visit to commiserate with the  people of the state on the disaster that what he saw was quite devastating.

    He said: “I am in Katsina State to commiserate with those affected by the windstorm.

    ”Tell all those affected that I sympathize with them.

    “I pray to Allah to avert future occurrence and that the government will assist those affected.”

    The president said the government would send a delegation to assess the extent of the damage with a view to giving them all necessary assistance.

    The emir thanked the president for the visit.

    “President Buhari is a good leader who really takes care of people. That is why people love him.

    “You went to many parts of the country to sympathize with victims of such disaster. That is very commendable,” he said.

    Governor  Aminu Masari of Katsina State  told the president that the windstorm destroyed property worth N2.3 billion.

    He said houses and other structures were destroyed at army, air force and police barracks and other parts of the state.

    Masari said that most of the victims were now taking refuge in public schools.

    The disaster, according to him, destroyed classroom roofs estimated at over N200 million.

    He urged the victims to consider the disaster as the will of God.

    The governor said the government would continue to assist the victims to enable them rehabilitate their houses.

     

  • Group pledges support for APC, Amosun

    A group, ‘The Ark Group’, has been set up in Ogun State to drum support for the second term ambition of Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

    The group, which consists of professionals from diverse fields, also promised to support the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections.

    In a statement in Ijebu-Ode, its co-ordinator, Mr. Gbolade Oduwole, promised to mobilise financial support for the party, ahead of the polls. He also said that members of the group will be actively involved in voter’s mobilisation and other sensitisation programmes.

    At its inaugural meeting in Ijebu Ode last week, the group reviewed the activities of the political parties. It expressed satisfaction with the on-going infrastructural renewal programme of the Amosun Administration.

    Oduwole said: “Our view is that our state has never had it so good when compared with the eight years of the PDP-led administration.

    “We seize this opportunity to warn our people not to allow themselves to be fooled by the reactionaries gathering in other parties.

    “The APC has proven that it has what it takes to take our people to a higher level of development that all patriotic citizens envision for our state”.