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Manufacturers have again demanded for the establishment of an industrial park in the Rivers State capital to create a pool of facilities and security to aid industrialisation.
The call was renewed at the first-ever ‘CEO-Business Luncheon’ organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Rivers/Bayelsa chapter at the Oak Heavens Hotel on Woji Street in GRA 2 last Wednesday.
Adawari Michael Pepple, chapter chairman, who led in the call, urged Gov Nyesom Wike to set up what he called ‘a world class industrial cluster’ in the Greater Port Harcourt axis to attract more investments into the oil-rich state.
The senator, however, expressed profound appreciation to what he described as the support Wike who he said has shown commitment to the development of the state in his first tenure and is not relenting in pushing the limits in his developmental strides as some politicians do in second term.
“But he is doing even more to better the lot of the state and the business community,” he said.
MAN has been asking for an industrial park in the state capital to create a cluster where most industrialists would prefer to collocate. The demand had echoed few months ago when ALCON opened its low voltage manufacturing plant in Trans-Amadi where Simbi Wabote, the Nigeria Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) executive secretary, talked about plans to establish industrial parks in some states and how some states had shown more enthusiasm than the others.
It was at the point that industrialists pleaded for one in Port Harcourt. Now, MAN is renewing the calls.
Some CEOs suggested Afam in Oyigbo LGA as the most suitable place to locate the proposed industrial park, saying there is massive land, steady power from Afam Power Station, and nearness to the seaport.
Speaking further, Pepple warned that failing to prepare for the coming of the African continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) could harm Nigeria badly. He said it would open all doors in Africa to goods and that it could lead to dumping if any local group failed to improve quality and reduce cost.
“This is my second year in office and we thought it wise to bring CEOs and business leaders across the various sectors to discuss the emerging trend in the global business space and particularly the African market as a result of the AfCFTA. This new market drive will have great impact on the way we do business going forward and there is therefore an urgent need to start positioning for a better opportunity rather than wish that the AfCFTA protocol was never signed. As we all know, it has been signed and it is here to stay,” he further said.
The Customs was to present a paper to guide and sensitise the manufacturers on their role and that of other business-support agencies in the AfCFTA era, but E.C. Nwakama who represented the service said when the FG gives directive on AfCFTA, it would promptly obey.
The chairman of the MAN, however, said the luncheon had afforded the CEOs of the opportunity to interact and to present where it is paining them for onward transmission to the Customs and other agencies.
