The Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) has tasked the government to boost the manufacturing sector to make it compete favourably in Africa, especially with the takeoff of the African Continent Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA).
The President of MAN, Mr Mansur Ahmed, represented by Mr Samuel Kolawole, the Vice President, MAN South-West Zone, gave the advice on Thursday at the Sod Turning Ceremony of MAN in Ibadan.
He said: “We hope that the government would continue to boost manufacturing in Nigeria to help us to improve, especially with AFCFTA that had just taken off.
“We are hoping that the government would help to boost manufacturing in Nigeria so that we can compete favourably all across Africa.
“There is so much to be done to encourage manufacturing in Nigeria by providing an enabling environment as Nigerians are very industrious,’’ he said.
Ahmed said that with a proper enabling environment, provided by government, Nigerians would be able to realise their potential in the manufacturing sector.
“That would help in a lot of ways to improve the employment rate, to improve foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria and to improve the economy generally.
“This is because there is no way the economy can improve if the manufacturing sector does not improve; that is the real sector that can promote sustainable development in Nigeria,’’ he said.
According to the MAN President, Nigeria coming out of recession is a good development for the country and for the economy.
“It shows that there has been an improvement in the economy over the last quarter; it means that we expect that things would be a little bit better.
“We are not fully out of it yet, there are still a lot of challenges in the economy but we are believing that getting out of recession in a very short time is a good indication of better things to come,” Ahmed said.
Kolawole, speaking in his capacity as MAN Vice-President, said he was happy and encouraged that the project conceived while he was the branch chairman was now being executed by the acting chairman of the association in the Southwest.
“The idea is to build a corporate office for Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti branches of the MAN, for more visibility, ” he said.
In his address, Mr Lanre Popoola, the Acting Branch Chairman, MAN Southwest, thanked all those who contributed to the takeoff of the building project.
Popoola said: “Today marks a major milestone in the history of our branch, last year we crossed the 40 years mark as a branch and on the 41st year celebration we are happy to be inviting you for the turning of the sod of our new corporate building.
“This is something that brings so much joy to us. New things usually trigger new feelings that explain our excitement.
“The building, in view is a multipurpose hall with offices that would serve as a corporate office for our branch to project the image of the association and house other corporate entities.
“Ultimately, it would help to achieve our mission as an association which is to promote close co-operation of our members, other organs of the organised sector, government and other stakeholders in the economy.
