As if “labour” and “capital” are mutually exclusive factors of production, and non-complimentary, some of my media/business-compatriots blushed on sighting yours comradely on a chartered Arik air flight as a member of Nigerian delegation to Ndola District of Zambia last Tuesday. Many thanks to the Chairman, Dangote Cement, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (a worthy “labouring Capitalist”!) who had humbly invited a comrade to the historic commissioning of the $420 million 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum cement plant and 35 megawatts of coal-fired plant plants in Ndola District of Zambia. I bear witness to a Pan African investor courageously re-Industrializing Africa. The legendary African development historian Walter Rodney would have been excited about “How An African is Developing Africa”, through industrialization a radical departure from “How Europe Underdeveloped” the continent through slavery and colonialism (in-that-order). Ndola plant is the group’s sixth integrated cement plant commissioned outside Nigeria. Dangote had announced plans by the group to create 16 cement plants across Africa to produce at least 80 million tons of cement and address the infrastructure needs of the continent. Half of these plants for transforming limestones into cement production are in Nigeria underscoring the fact that for Aliko, investment charity begins at home as well.His Excellency, Mr Edgar Lungu, President of Republic of Zambia saluted the courage of Dangote Group for its courage to invest in his country and for being the most diversified African investor. In two months’ time, (precisely November 20th!) Africa marks 2015 Africa Industrialization Day (AID). Africa Industrialization Day is celebrated on November 20 each year. It is a day dedicated by governments and other organizations in many African countries to examine ways to stimulate Africa’s industrialization process. It is also an occasion to draw worldwide media attention to the problems and challenges of industrialization in Africa. Where African governments endlessly launch “policy documents”, “visioning” and volumes of “plans” about diversification, and globetrott for aid and credit, It is rmarkable that Aliko Dangote group almost turns every day to Industrialization Day in words and practical actions through opening of scores of plants that are adding value to Africa’s raw materials.
Undoubtedly the richest man in the continent, but what increasingly marks Aliko out is his commitment to value addition and beneficiation to the abundant raw materials in the continent and creation of much needed mass employment for African workers. Dangote Group of industries is changing the narrative of the continent from that of ‘resource curse’ and corruption to resource beneficiation, value addition and mass employment through industrialisation. African labour movement is excited about the bold corporate decision of the Dangote Group to open new plants in Cameroon, South Africa, Zambia and Congo, Ethiopia and Tanzania. We are certainly witnessing a new pan African investment which the founding fathers of Africa envisioned but was wrongly abandoned for the discredited IMF/ World Bank’s inspired adjustment that in a decade of the 80s de-industrialized and returned the continent the colonial consumers of imported (read; sumuggled) goods and exporters of raw materials. The point cannot be overstated; the future of Africa lies in Industrialization which means the process of transforming raw materials, with the aid of labour and capital goods, into consumer goods and capital new capital goods. Industrialization delineates between growth and development of nations. The advantages of industrialization include, creation of sustainable mass decent jobs, lessening of dependency on imports, thus saving scarce foreign exchange and enhanced government revenue through company taxes.
Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commendably led the Nigerian delegation with a speech that some observers (if I may report!) assumed to be truly “professorial” and academic and development-shy. Many philosophers and analysts have certainly interpreted Africa’s underdevelopment, what is missing are concrete transformation policy actions. The Vice President himself said as much; “Enough has been said about Africa Economic integration, it is time to act” . And that precisely is what Aliko is doing. While the Vice President identified “one of the key challenges to rapid growth” in Africa as “extreme poverty”; Aliko sees opportunity for investment, wealth generation and corporate social responsibility that promises some $500,000 support for the host Ndola community development for schools, hospitals, and scholarships. In addition, Dangote group would inaugurate 400 trucks to be used in transporting the cement that will be produced in Ndola with multiplier effect of some thousands of decent jobs for Africans. President Lungu who commisioned the plant stressed the importance of industrialized Africa when he revealed that 7,000 jobs, “of which 1,000 will be direct”, would be created when the plant becomes fully operational. The President also directed Masaiti District Council to reserve more land to create an industrial cluster with the opening of the cement-manufacturing plant. President Lungu noted that for years, Zambians have been subjected to high monopolistic pricing structure for cement but was glad that since Dangote came on the market, the prices of the product had been dropping adding the principles of the Patriotic Front (PF) Government are to achieve pro-poor inclusive growth aimed at creating real wealth and jobs for the people. Rob Davis, one time Minister of trade and industry of South Africa in 2013 commendably observed that ; “We ( read; Africans) can’t be any longer just participating in global value chains as producers and exporters of primary products and importers of finished products”- Aliko Dangote is commendably turning African limestones into cement. What is good for limestones, is good for oil and gas, cotton, gold, diamonds, that Africa has in abundance.
ISSA AREMU mni.
