The Vice-President, of Collaboration and Linkages, Engineer Ademola Agoro has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to enhance and revive the manufacturing sector and bail out the country from the painful economic quagmire.
Engineer Agoro made this suggestion while fielding posers. journalists in Ibadan on Sunday.
The seasoned electrical engineer disclosed that Nigeria’s naira was stronger than the dollars in the 70s 80s and early 90s when the manufacturing sector of Nigeria’s economy was vibrant, productive and generative.
Engineer Agoro said ‘ In those years, Exide Batteries was exported to West African countries, Isoglass in Ibadan was servicing vehicle plants all over the world, there was Sterey Plant in Ibadan, that produced Earthmoving vehicle parts, there was ‘ 33’ Export beer, there was Volkswagen Plant in Lagos, there was ANAMCO that produced buses in the East. There was a Peaugot plant in Kaduna, the Textile industries were productive, the most of Ikeja was occupied by different manufacturing industries, in which goods were exported and revenue was in foreign exchange”
He however lamented that all these manufacturing industries which exported their products to earn foreign currencies and generate employment for Nigerians have closed up.
Engineer Agoro called on President Tinubu to learn from them. Malaysia, a country which found itself in Nigeria’s shoes some years ago but bailed itself out by enhancing and re-invigorating its manufacturing sector which has returned the country to the path of development
He disclosed that unless the manufacturing sector is revived and reeved to productivity Nigeria cannot match its present economic headache.
Engineer Agoro said ” We can not expect our naira to be strong if we do not have products that are manufactured in Nigeria and exported out there to fetch the foreign currencies in. We cannot build something on anything
