From Abuja, Kenneth Udeh
Senator representing Abia North at the National Assembly, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu has said that the manufacturing industrialists in Aba and Nnewi possess the capacity to end Nigeria’s dependence on imports through the production of all types of goods required by Nigerians.
The former Abia governor also posited that the deprecation of the naira will become history if the federal government can revive the over 11,886 moribund projects scattered all over the country.
Kalu stated this while contributing to a motion sponsored by Sen. Jimoh, Ibrahim Folorunsho (Ondo South) on the urgent need to look into the 11, 886 mega projects abandoned by the federal govern¬ment.
Citing an example of the defunct Ajaokuta Steel Plant in Kogi State, Kalu expressed regrets that such a situation has crippled the manufacturing capacity of industrialists in Aba and Nnewi.
According to him, many goods currently consumed by Nigerians are produced in Aba and Nnewi, adding that products such as solar lighting and panels are produced in that region.
He said that industrialists in the region are capable of producing goods imported from China, Vietnam and other countries but the absence of locally sourced raw materials like steel has rendered them incapable.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, suggested that the Tinubu administration should dedicate a whole year’s budget towards the resuscitation of abandoned projects in the country.
He said: “Nigeria is talking about manufacturing cars and other machinery, but steel is being imported from China and other surrounding countries like Vietnam and sometimes Russia. If we don’t resuscitate Ajaokuta and even the Aluminum tank farm close to Akwa-Ibom, there won’t be anything like industrialisation.
“We must revive all the steel rolling mills in Jos, Katsina, Alaja and other parts of the country. Let us stop saying we are dying of poverty because the country can be great if we face reality. The reality is that we can suspend other things and dedicate a whole year’s budget to bring back the nation’s steel mills and other abandoned industries.
“If they come on stream, our people will have jobs and see where to work and the industrial revolution of Nigeria will kick off. We keep talking about China but why can’t we make Aba and Nnewi our warehouse?
“These boys are manufacturing everything but they need steel. If we have steel today, there’s nothing made in China that cannot be made in Aba.
“Some of you buy solar thinking they were made in China but they are made in Aba. Why should we be suffering over what could have been done since,” he wondered.
Sponsor of the motion, Jimoh Ibrahim told the Senate that the discovery of the 11,886 moribund projects was made in 2011 by a Presidential committee set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan.