Revive cocoa grinding plants, textiles, other local industries in Nigeria – Ex-deputy governors to FG
The Forum for Former Deputy Governors has urged the Federal Government to revive cocoa grinding plants, textile mills and other local industries across the country to boost economic growth and job creation.
The FFDG disclosed this in a communiqué signed by its Chairman and Deputies, Chris Akoma, Muktar Anka, and Hazeem Gbolarumi, on Wednesday after its 4th Annual National Conference in Abuja.
According to the former deputy governors, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration should strengthen all requisite mechanisms that foster sustainable economic growth, inclusive prosperity, and genuine self-reliance.
The communiqué stated that all tiers of government in the country should boost infrastructural development, especially in roads and reliable power supply, which are critical enablers of productivity.
“The Forum is recommending that the government should reactivate moribund cocoa grinding plants, revitalise the textile industry, and pursue investments, flexible credit access, and protective tariffs.
Governments should encourage public-private investment in community processing centres for crops like cassava, tomatoes, and rice to reduce costs, improve quality, and create jobs.
There should be collaboration with development partners to establish credit facilities, processing equipment, and storage technologies for SMEs, and cooperatives should be prioritised.
Cocoa consumption should be encouraged for the enhanced health of the nation.
Youths should be trained in cocoa farming, and cocoa development units should be created in every state.
The government should enforce the use of made-in-Nigeria fabric for school uniforms in Nigerian schools and colleges to increase the demand for local fabrics.
Government should procure 100 million cocoa seedlings and encourage Nigerians to plant them to create employment and shore up foreign exchange,” the communiqué stated.
DAILY POST reports that former Senate President Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, former Sokoto State Governor Senator Aliyu Wamakko, and several former deputy governors, in their respective remarks at the event, spoke on the need for the government to increase its commitment to industrial growth in Nigeria.