The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria
on Thursday lamented the high cost of acquiring land within the Federal
Capital Territory, stating that the development was currently scaring
away industrialists from Abuja.
The Executive Secretary, MAN, Mr. Okpe
Sunday, stated this at the third Annual General Meeting of the Abuja
branch of the association.
He lamented the current dilapidated
state of infrastructure within the industrial layouts in Abuja, noting
that the development was putting a strain on the productive ability of
manufacturers.
Sunday called on the Federal Government
and the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, to address the dilapidated
infrastructure in the industrial layouts as well as open up more land
for manufacturers at affordable prices.
He said, “The high post-election
expectations from manufacturers were dashed by unfavourable government
policies. The known infrastructural decadence affecting manufacturing
activities over the years was compounded by the Central Bank of
Nigeria’s directive excluding some essential raw materials from the list
of items valid for foreign exchange.
“The issue of infrastructure at our
various industrial layouts within Abuja still remains a mirage as
manufacturers struggle to provide for themselves basic amenities.
“We urge the FCT minister to open up
more land at affordable prices for manufacturers as the present cost of
land in the FCT is scaring away potential manufacturers and limiting the
expansion bids of existing manufacturers.”
The President of MAN, Dr. Frank Jacobs,
who also spoke at the event, said the challenges facing industrialists
had made it imperative for the operators in the sector to come up with
innovative ideas to make them remain in business.
He called on the government to consider
what he described as “resource-based industrialisation” to boost the
utilisation of local raw materials for production.