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| Last Updated: Jan 19th, 2012 - 11:25:19 |
Wealth Creation
Vice President Jonathan affirms Federal Government’s support for manufacturing sector
Nov 24, 2009, 09:36
| | The Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has disclosed that the Federal Government is aware of the key challenges facing the manufacturing sector and is adopting effective measures to enable it regain grounds on a massive scale.
The Vice President made the disclosure on Monday, November 23 during the launching and commissioning of the new Peugeot 307 Sedan and the T-6 Production line of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Ltd at PAN’s Factory/Head Office in Kakuri, Kaduna.
He said that in the immediate, the expected 6,000mw of electricity supply will benefit manufacturers by reducing operation costs, while the Federal Government has also undertaken to revamp the transportation sector so it could respond to the needs of the manufacturing industry.
“Equally, the Federal Government has set up a committee to interface with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in order to arrive at concrete intervention measures across different sectors of the economy. To this end, submissions from scores of organizations have been received that will aid the committee in determining specific responses to their peculiar situations.” He disclosed.
He also expressed the Federal Government’s satisfaction with the evolution of hitherto government owned corporations into successful private sector enterprises, particularly commending the collaborative efforts of the National Council on Privatisation, the National Automotive Council, and other agencies towards sustaining the automobile industry in Nigeria.
Describing Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited as a national treasure, Jonathan urged Nigerians to continue to patronize PAN products, and pledged Government’s support of resourceful initiatives by its management to reposition the company.
He said Government’s backing of the Buy-Made-in-Nigeria goods campaign by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry stemmed from the need to encourage Nigerians to tie their purchasing power to national interest. As a follow up, Jonathan added, “we plan to concretise the “Buy National” platform as a veritable market place for Nigerian companies”.
While congratulating the management of PAN for sustaining production even in the face of challenges in the automobile industry globally, Jonathan said the launch of the Peugeot 307 Sedan is intrinsically tied to the nation’s quest for development in the automobile manufacturing sector and also underscores the determination of Nigerians to sustain the country’s name on the global map of car manufacturing and assembly.
Earlier, the VP commissioned PAN’s production factory and was conducted round the various sections, after which he drove the first 307 Sedan product out of factory. He also performed the ceremony of renaming the road where the premises of PAN is located as ‘PAN Drive’, Kakuri, Kaduna.
In his remarks, Kaduna Governor, Namadi Sambo, commended the Federal Government for its role in facilitating industrial growth and development in the state, pointing out that the award of contract for the railway line to connect Kaduna with Abuja is noteworthy. He also pledged the state government’s support for PAN towards reducing its cost of production to the barest minimum.
MD of PAN, Haroun Aliyu, commended the Federal Government for its support of the made-in-Nigeria goods campaign, saying it is a laudable initiative. He said with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Ltd and its technical partners in June 2007, Nigeria joined China and Argentina as licensed manufacturers of the Peugeot 307 Sedan, christened the ‘T-6 Project’, and which replaces the 406 already phased out of production.
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