The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday assured manufacturers that the Ninth National Assembly would strengthen the sector with enabling laws to boost growth and job creation in the nation.
Lawan, who was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Industry, Sen. Bayo Osinowo, gave the assurance at the ongoing 47th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), on Tuesday in Lagos.
According to Lawan, the manufacturers are the solution for job creation in Nigeria and will thrive better if they have an enabling environment.
Lawan said: “The Ninth Assembly is ready to ensure that there are laws which will strengthen manufacturing, as well as bridge the gap between the manufacturers and the government.
“We will not only promote adequate and effective communication between MAN and government but will also create conducive atmosphere for the voice of the manufacturers to be heard.
“The Next Level agenda of the government will continue to support the growth of industry and also protect relevant manufacturers from being saddled with unnecessary importation of goods that can be produced by Nigerians.”
He urged the Association to continue to provide good platforms for the manufacturing industry, so they can rival the dominance of the oil industry in Nigeria.
Lawan added that the reason nations such as: China, Germany and the USA developed was because they produce about 85 per cent of goods they use and invariably produced more jobs for their citizens.
He urged the manufacturers to aspire to attain the level of developed nations, and work harder to surpass the agricultural sector in the aspect of job creation.
Earlier, the President of Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah said that Nigeria’s future can be built on the enterprise of MAN.
Oramah, who’s also the Chairman of the Board of the Bank, noted that in spite of the progress made by the present administration to sustain growth, the manufacturing sector continues to face daunting challenges.
He said the challenges include; poor condition of highways and waterways, and absence of credible road network.
Oramah expressed his delight at the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which he said will create an opportunity to brighten the future of Nigerian manufacturers.
Oramah explained that China was able to develop because they recognised early that their greatest resource was their humans..
