Let the Masses Live ...
Manifesto >
Industrialization
Industrialization Policy
1. Industries
Industrialization is an essential key to economic development and viability. In fact it is the basis for any economy. A strong industrial base ensures a strong economy, and consequently strong sovereignty and independence on the international scene. A nation that cannot rely on itself for its essential needs can hardly enjoy the meaning of independence.
Affecting our industrial development are among others the reluctance of our trading friends to let us into the know-how of industrial equipment; over dependence on them even in the face of this obvious and deliberate reluctance; refusal to look beyond them in the search for true industrial friends; disregard of indigenous talents and technology as the most viable option in the search for domestic industrial growth, poor attitude to research and unwillingness to use even the few available ones among others.
2. Trade and Commerce
One of the major goals of our economic and industrial policies is to secure foreign markets for our raw materials and finished goods. We must therefore, launch ourselves on the competitive International market with quality goods and services, while at the same time opening our own market. Our trade policy would be based on reciprocity and self-reliance.
Our immediate goal however, is to effectively capture the ECOWAS market by assisting them with soft loans to purchase the goods. While we will maintain our friendly links with our traditional – trading partners. We would at the same time extend hands of fellowship to others in the Far and Middle East and all friendly nations that appreciate our economic disposition on South – South Cooperation, fair prices for raw materials, technology acquisitions and respect for all international economic organization. Its concept of new world economic order shall be based on the principle of equality of opportunities international trade devoid of geo-polities and the concept of sphere of influence.
Our tourism programme would be built into our environmental and forestry programme so as to strengthen them all together. However, potential tourist areas would be identified and developed as added means of earning foreign exchange.
3. Power and Energy
The twin issues of energy and power are central to economic growth and industrial development. Without adequate supply of electric power for instance, we cannot talk meaningfully of industrial growth. This applies equally to petroleum energy and others, with which Nigeria is abundantly but unfortunately largely untapped.
Even as we are said to be self-sufficient in electricity and feed our neighbouring countries the performance of NEPA has been a considerable drain on the economy. Along with petroleum energy the nation is said to be losing over N40 billion annually in the economy. While Nigeria is ranked among the top ten producers of petroleum oil in the world, fuel shortages have been with us for a longtime.
Domestic cooking gas and kerosene have remained far away from consumers either because of cost or scarcity. This has tremendous negative effect on wood energy for domestic use. Worse still, gas flaring is still going on while black market operators have taken over the fuel business. In the area of solid minerals, it is only of rent that we started giving it the desired attention.
These trends must have to stop if we are to make any meaningful headway in our desire to transform the nation into an industrial giant.
4. Transportation
A viable public transportation system is very essential to the socio -economic needs of any society, for it ensures the free movement of goods, services and people without which things would remain static, thereby effecting the economy and social interaction. Owing to the decline of our national economy and government earning, our public transportation system in its various forms, has not been performing as it should.
For a very long time for example, the rails have not been running in manners required of them, road transportation as the most common means of movement available to the people has been in bad shape, owing to the high cost of vehicles, which has made it almost difficult for individuals to own private vehicles.
The Nigerian Airways is almost at the brink of extinction due to the absence of serviceable aircraft, marine services are no better either. In short it has never been so bad for the transport sector.