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Manufacturing is the bedrock of development – RMRDC boss

By on March 16, 2013

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, RMRDC, Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu, has said that the country may not make any reasonable progress if it fails to improve its manufacturing sector.

According to him, manufacturing is the heart of development of any nation, noting that Nigeria will naturally develop when the sector is given the right attention by the Federal Government.

He said, “Look at the United States, Canada, China, Singapore, India and a few others, they may not be producing everything they need, but you will find two or three products they are very good in manufacturing.

“But if you come to Nigeria, it appears that it is only in the beverage sector that we have factories that are functioning; mostly beer, soft drinks and so on.

“This country is blessed with a lot of minerals, but we have near absence of industries for adding value to these raw materials. I believe that if we improve our manufacturing sector, Nigeria will naturally develop.”

RMRDC observed that harnessing the products of science and technology and applying them in industrial production could develop the sector, adding that travelling through Nigerian villages, one would see series of production going on.

According to him, some of them include, people who spread cassava along the road for it to dry; those processing palm oil with bare hands, using fire wood; individuals who process textiles without textile machines; as well as citizens who cut granite and gravel using hammers.

“The point I’m making is that Nigerians want to work but they don’t have access to technology; for that’s what makes all the difference. And there is no way you can succeed in production and manufacturing unless you have access to technology.

“That is why developed countries stress the importance and availability of technology and in such countries, banks find it easy to give loans to people to buy machines. This is because they know that when you buy a good machine, you can produce, and once you produce, you sell, make money and pay back,” he said.

He lamented that unfortunately in Nigeria, science, technology and research were being relegated to the background.

“But the truth of the matter is that this is bedrock of manufacturing and manufacturing is the bedrock of development,” Onwualu said.

He added, “If you are talking about water for all, how do you make this possible? It is through technology. You have to find machines for processing, cleaning and packaging the water. If you don’t have that, you are not going anywhere, and our people will continue to drink water from the stream; which shouldn’t be. The same example applies to every sector in our economy.”

On how the council is trying to promote indigenous manufacturing, Onwualu said RMRDC had started the setting up of processing clusters across the states.

He disclosed that the council had recently kicked off the programme in Bayelsa State as the machines for the process were ready.

He said, “The machines will include the ones for processing, drying, smoking and packaging fish. And then another machine will be used for cassava processing and another for plantain processing into flower and chips.

“What we mean by clusters is that we will put in these machines in a locality and train people around there to come and use the machines. It also includes an oil palm processor. In other words, if you now install a palm oil processing plant, those who are interested will harvest their palm fruits or buy, if necessary, and come to the centre to process and pay a little fee” He concluded.