From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Federal government has pledged to establish more industrial clusters as well as revive existing ones to fast drive SMEs and industries across the country.
Speaking during an interaction with government officials and members of the business community in Kano State, the Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka Anite said the clusters would provide access to subsidized inputs, power, access roads and other infrastructures necessary to drive the industries and SMEs to greater productivity and profitability.
“For us, making these industries competitive is a major goal of this ministry, especially now that the African continental free trade area is developing. It is important that we help the industries and the SMEs reduce their costs of production so that they can compete favorably in a larger market” she stated.
According to her, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had also charged them to encourage agriculture and overall development of non – oil exports, saying that both areas are key to the achievement of poverty reduction, job creation, employment and food security among others.
“We in the ministry, we are also revamping the national commodity exchange to be able to do much more to support agriculture and encourage investment and development the in the agriculture sector” she declared .
“We are determined to see more investments in agriculture as well as solid minerals sector and oil and gas sector, we are looking at ensuring that the farmers and producers get their value for their efforts” she told her audience.
“We are coming with a warehousing idea so that farmers can take their goods to warehouses and they can get some facilities to go back to farm more” she stated.
She expressed preference for export of processed materials as against export of raw materials while expressing concern over the rejection of Nigeria’s exported commodities at the international market.
“The issue of the rejection of Nigeria commodities abroad is worrisome. It affects the economy and we shall collaborate with the commodity traders to ensure improvement in their export commodities, to reverse the trend” she stated
Some of the industries visited by the Minister included Gerawa Oil Mills along Hadejia Road, Dala Inland Dry Port in Zawachiki and Kano Tanary at Challawa Industrial Estate, Kano