The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has pledged to support and develop the manufacturing sector in the territory.
The Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, gave the commitment during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) led by its President, Engr Ahmed Mansur.
Bello said, “It has come to the realization of all that for Nigeria to develop as a nation, emphasis must be placed on the development of the manufacturing sector.
“The COVID -19 pandemic, which resulted in the lock down of countries around the world, revealed that as a nation, Nigeria cannot depend on outsiders as the global lockdown resulted in the disruption of supply chains and manufacturing processes.”
The minister commended the foresight of President Muhammadu Buhari for policies in the agricultural sector that emphasized “growing what eat and eating what we grow”.
He added that the President’s focus on and development of the agricultural sector shielded the country from the worst of the pandemic by ensuring local food supply.
He urged the manufacturing sector to leverage on the efficient transportation network in the territory to make the FCT as an industrial hub in the country.
The minister also pledged the commitment of the Administration to the development of industrial zones of Gwagwalada and Kwali as well as the provision of more security to the Idu Industrial Area.
The leader of the delegation, Engr, Ahmed Mansur, had earlier commended the timely intervention of the FCT Minister during the ENDSARS protests in protecting the manufacturing businesses located at the Idu Industrial Area.
Mansur said, “Your timely intervention significantly reduced the impact on our members and the manufacturing sector of the economy. We like to thank you for this intervention.”
He also reiterated the importance of the manufacturing sector to the national economy, saying that MAN has over the years become a major voice of the Nigerian manufacturing sector and is therefore a strategic partner to the government in its drive towards the transformation of the economy.
Comments are closed.