23rd November, 2016
The Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) says it will create two million jobs between 2016 and 2020.
Its National President, Mr. Ezekiel Essien, made the pledge on Wednesday in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that the NASSI 2016-2020 Integrated Industrialisation Revolution plan would be carried out through a national agro-cluster chain that would involve production, process, value addition and distribution.
“NASSI is ready for full implementation of its project plan for productive engagement of 2,000,000 unemployed Nigerians and capacity building of NASSI membership for higher output toward a self-reliant economy.
“The project scope includes interstate cluster agro- production, interstate cluster processing, packaging zones, interstate fabrication, innovation, technology cluster and interstate distribution network export zone.
“NASSI will collaborate with Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, Small and Medium industry Equity Investment Scheme, UNIDO, and Standard Organisation of Nigeria, among others to actualize its goals,“ he said.
Essien said that acceleration of Nigeria’s industrialization required the adoption and implementation of specific measures and actions at local, state, national and international levels.
“In collaboration with the private sector and civil society, we have to take lead for the initiation and implementation of the activities.
“The local, state, zonal and regional economic communities should serve as the main agents for the promotion of industrialization at the respective levels.
“While the national and its strategic programme in alliance with the African Union, NEPAD, should with the support of United Nation Economic Development of Africa (UNECA) and African Development Bank (ADB), play a similar role at the continental bank,’’ he said.
Essien said that Africa’s industrial development would also require actions at the international level that would involve international organizations including UNIDO, World Bank and World Trade Organisation as wells as other development partners.