President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, inaugurated the President Advisory Committee (PAC) on the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).
Speaking at the event, the president said the NIRP PAC is expected to, among other things, discuss the quarterly progress of the NIRP and provide feedback and advice on how to maximise the programme’s impact.
He said the Committee will also provide input into the NIRP work plan for subsequent quarters, and bring international perspective on industrialisation based on the experiences of other countries.
He said the members will also serve as ambassadors to the larger private sector and the international community, adding that Nigeria is on the path of economic reform and industrialisation.
Jonathan also noted that members were carefully selected from strategic sectors of the economy, adding that the NIRP would fast-track the nation’s march towards industrialisation.
The Committee, which comprises mainly representatives from strategic Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government, as well as leading private sector industrialists, will be chaired by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, with foremost industrialist and Africa’s richest man Alhaji Aliko Dangote, serving as Alternate Chairman.
Other PAC members from the public sector include the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr.Samuel Ortom; Minister of Works, Mike Onolemenmen; Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo and his Transport counterpart, Idris Umar, as well as the Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Sarah Alade.
The private sector representatives include the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Chief Kola Jamodu,Chairman, Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko; President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Alhaji Mohammed Abubarkar and the Nigeria Country Head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Dr. Patrick Kormawa, among others.
The President reffered to members of the Committee as “our best minds and the most dauntless investors in Nigeria’s Industrial sector,” saying they represent the best of the Nigerian Industry.
He said they have been carefully selected across strategic industrial sectors of the NIRP, including cement, basic steel, cocoa processing, petrochemicals, textiles, foods and beverages, among others.
He explained that the selection also ensured adequate national coverage, North, South, East, West, and International; and we have representation from key stakeholder groups.
He said” “I am emboldened by the achievements we have already recorded while implementing parts of the NIRP over the last three years.
“The NIRP is a journey Nigeria must undertake. I am confident that this plan will industrialise our great country and that it will create the jobs and wealth. We can, and we must Industrialise Nigeria. No country has become rich by only producing and exporting its raw materials. This is an economic policy that leads nowhere.”
He said NIRP is aimed at building a strong manufacturing base and to lift more than 100 millions Nigerians out of poverty.
The 25-man Presidential Committee, chaired by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga and alternate Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has majority of its members from the private sector.
According to the President, Nigeria is taking after China with the introduction of NIRP, which he claimed has successfully transformed to a global player through industrialisation.
He said: “China has effectively through its industrial and manufacturing sector becomes the largest economy in the world. Nigeria can also do the same not necessarily be the largest economy in the world but our target is to be among the top 20.”
“From the information I gathered, manufacturing and services in China has lifted over 500 million people out of poverty. With industrialisation, at least we can lift less than 200 million people out of poverty.”
With half a trillion dollar economy, which is the largest in Africa and the 9th largest workforce in the world, he said that Nigeria possesses the entrepreneurial spirit.
He stressed that the Industrialisation Revolution Plan is the agenda of the government to achieving the goal.
“If China can do it I believe we can also do it. To accomplish this however, we must do things differently; we must begin to add value to our resources through research development. We must industrialise.” He added
