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The continuous deterioration of the Owerri-Onitsha industry layout which initially comprised about 260 industrial plots is now a serious cause of worry to the manufacturers association of Nigeria (MAN). The industrial layout, which was created and constructed between 1979 and 1983 by the administration of the late governor of the old Imo State, Samuel Mbakwe situates at Irete, in Owerri West Local Government Area.
Some members of the Imo/Abia branch of the manufacturers association of Nigeria (MAN) who spoke with BDSUNDAY on condition of anonymity during the 32nd annual general meeting (AGM) of the group held at Macyview Hotels Limited, Owerri applauded the economic contributions of Dangote Group of companies on the African continent, especially in Nigeria. They also called on Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, to help lessen the suffering of the manufacturers who are still doing business at the layout by reconstructing the damaged internal road network in the zone.
“Dangote is doing well, particularly in the area of creating job opportunities for the youth. Dangote group is contributing a lot to the growth of the Nigerian economy, he should help in the rehabilitation of the access roads in the area,” a member of MAN, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
Another member of MAN, who also did not want his name in print, said: “I know your newspaper had written on this in the past, go there now and see, the internal access road has broken down completely due to heavy trucks loading and off-loading there. The activities going on in the area is causing a serious strain on the road infrastructure
‘You can see that as a result of the damaged roads, many of our members have closed their factories and some have relocated to other states. Some serious investors are not willing to come and establish their factories there because the main access road to the industrial estate has been broken down.”
Delivering his farewell address at 32nd AGM, as the out-going chairman of MAN, Imo/Abia branch, at the event, Rommy Nwabueze Jones Anyanwu a lawyer by profession, simply called RNJ, drew the attention of the public to the deplorable condition of the access roads to the industrial layout and in the same manner called on the Dangote Group to intervene and reconstruct the road to save the remaining industries in the layout from fizzling out.
In a letter to Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State, titled ‘Poor state of the access roads to our factories at Onistha road industrial layout, Owerri’, signed by the new Chairman of MAN, Imo/Abia branch JOC Eluwa and copied to Makoju, the managing director of the Dangote Cement Ltd and also to the President of MAN, Mansur Ahmed, Lagos, RNJ urged the state government to quickly intervene by rallying other stakeholders.
Mansur Ahmed, president of MAN, also decried the low level of industrialisation in Nigeria, saying the manufacturing sector contributes less than 10 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) as against Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, etc which contribute 15-25 percent to their economies.
“This is indeed a cause for serious concern, considering the fact that the manufacturing sector is undoubtedly the bedrock of any thriving economy and a major provider of jobs and economic growth opportunities. The manufacturing sector of emerging economies, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, etc are contributing 15-25 percent to their economy,” he said.
The MAN boss, however, urged Imo and Abia States to craft industrial policies that would establish a strategic nexus between infrastructure development and the attraction as well as expansion of industrial establishment in the two states.
He noted too, that the creation of an enabling environment for industries to thrive would improve the revenue generation capacity of Imo and Abia States. He urged the governors of the two states to come up with industrial-friendly policies on reviving ailing, moribund and closed industries in the states by focusing attention on the provision of infrastructure in the industrial layout in the states.
SABY ELEMBA, Owerri
