Stories by Bimbola Oyesola, 08033246177
Africa countries can only join the industrialised nations of the world by adding value to their abundant raw materials through comprehensive beneficiation and proper value addition programme.
This is the view of the IndustriALL Global, even as it noted that its African affiliates have taken industrial policy issues to government and employers on the urgent need for beneficiation and value addition in Africa.
Vice President of IndustriaAll Global, Issa Aremu, speaking at the 2017 Okpekpe international 10km road race, lamented that despite that Africa is a wealthy continent, blessed with an abundance of raw materials, yet Africans don’t profit from this, because value is added further up the supply chain, after the continent had exported the raw materials.
He said, “Nigeria is a classic case; crude oil is exported, while refined petroleum products are imported, in the process millions of jobs are exported in a country with 50 per cent unemployment. South Africa and Ghana have abundant gold, platinum, diamond, export them in raw forms while importing jewellery. Nigeria exports cotton and imports assorted smuggled fabrics. Africa unacceptably lacks comprehensive industrial policy.”
He however noted that IndustriALL was participating for the first time in the race fifth edition with over two hundred workers-members of the Nigerian affiliate unions to make a case for re-Industrialization of African continent.
“Inspired and energised by IndustriALL’s goal of ensuring Sustainable Industrial Development, the race today is part of the efforts to build a momentum around 2017 Africa Industrialization Day on 20th November through mass demonstrations and policy engagement with the Ministries of Trade and Investment”, he said.
Aremu maintained that Africans need to industrialize their economies to create quality, sustainable jobs, and lift people out of poverty. According to him, “for industrialization to succeed, we need infrastructure: effective transport and communication networks, reliable electricity supplies, anti-smuggling policy and a transparent regulatory framework. Africans must produce what they consume, consume what they produce. This requires intervention and coordination by the African governments at all levels and also by regional and continental bodies. And yet we face a climate where government intervention has fallen out of fashion.”
The IndustriALL vice president commended the Federal government of Nigeria for declaring Mondays and Wednesdays every week, as Made-in-Nigeria Dress Days across the country “as part of measures to uplift the nation’s culture and promote Made-in-Nigeria textile products”, stressing that Africans must wear what they produce and produce what they wear.
NSITF boss assumes office, pledges enhanced packages for staff
The employees of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have been assured of adequate motivation to propel them to deliver on the mandate of the organisation.
The new Managing Director/Chief Executive NSITF, Mr Adebayo Somefun, who stated this in Abuja when he assumed office, explained that a review of welfare package to keep the staff motivated is underway.
The new NSITF helmsman who spoke on assumption of duty with the three new Executive Directors of the Fund at its Corporate Headquarters, assured the staff of the organisation that the new executive management appreciates the essence of a motivated staff and shall do everything within its capacity to effect a review of their welfare package to keep them motivated, stressing that that the team is fully prepared to move the organisation forward.
While thanking every member of staff for a wonderful job done so far, he stressed the need for teamwork, which the resumption of all the executive management members at the same time shows.
The newly appointed Executive Directors for the Fund are: Mr Suleiman Tijani, Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson and Mr Jasper Azuatalam.Somefun urged staff not to see the new Executive Management as intruders but rather, as a new team appointed by God to take the organisation to its next level, while promising that, “the new executive team will not disappoint, “in ensuring that it leaves the Fund better off than it met it.
“I assure you that the new executive team has listening ears and our doors are always open for suggestions and ideas.”
To buttress the need to work closely with the staff of the Fund and open-door policy, which the new management members would imbibe, he gave his email address and phone numbers through which he could be reached whenever the need arises.
Reacting to the Managing Director’s call, Mrs Kemi Nelson, said she has in the past five years seek an opportunity to be useful, not only to herself but to a lot of people, noting that her appointment is an answer to that prayer.
She promised to give her best in ensuring she delivers on her new assignment.
On his own part, Mr Suleiman Tijani corroborated the position of the Managing Director, saying the new Executive Management would welcome ideas and suggestions by everybody as it will take a collective effort to move the Fund forward.
Mr Jasper Azuatulam challenged the staff of the organisation to increase their level of productivity while assuring them that the new Executive Management team would play its part in keeping them motivated.
Earlier, the General Manager, Legal Department, Sir Adebayo Aderibigbe, who received the team on behalf of the Acting Managing Director, Ismail Agaka, welcome the new Managing Director/CE and the Executive Directors and promised adequate support and cooperation of the entire management and staff to move the organisation forward.