By Chimezie Godfrey
The Vice President, Industriall Global Union, Comrade, Issa Aremu,mni, has stated that members of African Affiliates of Industriall and other stakeholders will march for beneficiation and industrialization of African economies on Monday November 20th, the African Industrialization Day(AID).
Aremu made this statement during the African Industrialization Day policy dialogue organized by Industriall Global Union, Nigeria Council in conjunction with Fredrich Ebert stiftung(FES) on Friday November 7th,2017 at the Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre, Abuja.
He stated that Africa Industrialization Day(AID) is a significant day declared by United Nations industrial Development Organization(UNAID).It is an annual platform for governments ,businesses and organized labor linked to industrial development to examine ways and means to stimulate African industrialization process.
The Vice President said, ”Africa should stop being romantic and which has within 20 years moved over 250 million people out of poverty through manufacturing and industrialization. Africa must make what it consumes, otherwise it will be consumed by the rest of the world.”
Speaking on the three points agenda of the Buhari administration, which are war against corruption, insecurity and economic recovery, he said, “I bear witness that Nigeria proudly has a president that is incorruptible.
“I also agree with President Muhammadu Buhari that the ongoing fight against corruption has restored Nigeria’s integrity in the world .President Buhari is not only exposing and catching public thieves but commendably prosecuting them.”
He stated that the political resolutions of Industriall adopted last year at the second congress in Rio de Jeneiro Brazil encouraged the fight against corruption.”Therefore we commend the recent sacking of Mr.Abdulrasheed Maina, a notorious pension predator and welcome the ordered probe into how he get dubiously reinstated into the civil service after he had long been declared wanted by the EFCC on corruption charges,” he said.
Comrade Issa ,further said that Industriall also commends the good jobs the EFCC under Ibrahim Magu. That the commission between January 1 and August 30th 2017 had reportedly recovered about N409billion and 695Million Dollars(Totaling N 430 Billion), among other foreign currencies, as proceeds of corruption. This recovered loot is more that the States budget of Niger:N108b, Aba:N107b, Enugu:N105 and Imo:N102 b and half of Lagos state’s budget of N813billion and same Rivers state:N470billion.While South Africans decry state capture by Gupta families ,the challenge Nigerians face is Republic capture by some corrupt leaders.
“EFCC must be supported by all institutions including organized labor, because monies stolen would not be made available for paying minimum and living wages as well as pensions. Pension/wages thieves in both public and private sectors are still around the corners.
“The Federal government must quickly reconstitute the board of National Pension Commission with a view of safeguarding the pension assets. Also the acting executive of Pencom must wake up to its responsibilities to engage stakeholders through more openness and accountability,” he said.
On Security,he said that in consistence with Industriall resolutions, “we condemn all forms of violence including right wing senseless Boko Haram terrorism which has claimed thousands of lives mostly women and in the past in the past years.He commended the Nigerian military service men and women for standing up to terrorism. He thanked Industriall for the consistent support for the return of the remaining Chibok girls.
On Economy, he stated that most African Governments have launched economic blue prints and signed on into a number of global economic agenda such as the sustainable development Goal 2030,especially SDG 9.He laid emphasis on industry as the key to economic growth and recovery. He appreciated the fact that President Buhari has mandated other government agencies to spend more of their on locally produced goods.
“I think we can use this 2017 budget to turn the economy around.I am happy that a factory in Umuahia is now producing military booths for soldiers and that alone has provided over 3000 jobs for Nigerians,” he said.
He recommended that our refineries should be fixed. He commended the ERP endorsement of the 2014 National Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP, and its effort to reduce petroleum products imports by 80 percent in 2018. And that, it is the way to create jobs, decent and sustainable jobs in the petroleum sector.
On the Power sector, he said that the Federal Government through its Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP) and the World bank has come up with an action plan for the restructuring of the 11 electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) that would enable government to take over any DISCO found to be insolvent.
“The Federal Government should apologize to the NUEE for returning to the warning that Nigeria was not ripe for privatization. While we await the details of the action plan, Federal Government should listen to organized labor and cancel the privatizations all together.
“Let there be light, as there can be no industrialization without electrification,” he stressed.
