Engineer Sule identifies steps to revamp productivity in Nigeria’s real sector

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has identified steps being taken by his administration to revamp the real sector that would bring about rapid development, not only in the state but across the country.

Engineer Sule made this known while speaking as the guest speaker during thr opening ceremony of the first international conference on real sector productivity, organized by the Department of Business Administration, Nasarawa State University Keffi, on Wednesday.

According to the Governor, since his coming into office in 2019, his administration has been working assiduously to promote the real sector of the state, counting on his experience from the organized private sector.

He said that informed the decision to establish technical schools across the state, with so far the Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technical Institute in Lafia, able to produce 207 certified technicians.

While appreciating the organizers of the conference and for identifying challenges of the real sector, Engineer Sule recounted how the Dangote Group had to import 4000 technicians from China and India to meet up with challenges in its factories.

“The first thing I was thinking when I came into office is I wished Dangote had come to Nasarawa State to take those 4000 technicians rather than going all the way to China.

“So what did we do? We started establishing some of these technical schools that would produce certified technicians. Today, at the technical school in Lafia, we have been able to produce roughly about 200 certified technicians that have already graduated,” he stated.

He pointed out the Nigeria is presently not getting it right, in spite of the abundant human and natural resources mostly because of lack of commitments.

The Governor gave as example how India grew from the second largest producer of sugar in the world to beat Brazil that used to be the largest producer of sugar.

“Can we do it in Nigeria? Yes. If we can do it in Nigeria, why are we not doing it? This is the question we should ask ourselves, and then we can pick it up from there. So, why are we not doing it.

“In the year 2015, India was only producing 22m metric tones of sugar. They were a net importer of sugar. They were producing less than what they needed. By 2015, Brazil was the biggest producer of sugar in the world, and they were producing 37m metric tones.

“The difference between number one and number two was 15m metric tones of sugar. India was a net importer because she needed more sugar than Brazil. By the year 2020, India overtook Brazil not because Brazil started producing less but because India decided to move and started producing more sugar to become the largest sugar producer in the world,” he said.

He disclosed that Nigeria currently consumes roughly 200m metric tones of sugar but is producing less than two percent of what it consumes.

“We are importing sugar. Can we do it? Yes. Less than 10 percent of our land for agriculture is being utilized. If we say let us go and use 50 percent, we can produce over 30m metric tones of rice, over 500m metric tones of sugar. That way, we become a net exporter of sugar and other various products,”he added.

Engineer Sule explained that his administration is addressing the issue of mining with Nasarawa State being the Home of Solid Minerals.

He particularly highlighted how his administration is tackling the mining of lithium in the state by mostly foreign investors.

“The demand for lithium has moved from when it was just 6,800 dollars per ton to now 78, 000 dollars a ton. And wherever you find lithium, you also find nickel.

“If our lithium is been loaded into tippers to another country, our nickel is also taken away from Nasarawa State. What we are trying to do is for the future. It’s not for now. They bring N20m and say take it, N50m. They went to one community and gave them N700m. You can imagine that the community will fight the Governor no matter what. Today, I find myself in a situation such that while I am using one hand to fight for Nasarawa State, I am using another hand to fight people in Nasarawa State who are fighting me,” he said.

The Governor pointed out that until the people imbibe to make sacrifices for the future, the country’s real sector may continue to face challenges.

“That is the reason why we are not making it. Until we sit down and get exactly what the High Commissioner of India mentioned, what exactly are our problems? Are we ready to make sacrifices? We have to make the sacrifices because maybe the people making the sacrifices today, they are making it for their children and grandchildren. They may not be making it for themselves. But we must imbibe the culture of making that sacrifice. That is the only way we can move on,” he stated.

In a keynote address, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Shri G. Balasubramanian, highlighted on ICT, agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors, with particular focus on ICT startups.

Balasubramanian equally shared some of the aspects with which the Indian government has worked towards getting India to where it is today.

Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), in a lead paper, spoke on the role of digital connectivity to enhance innovation and productivity.

Represented at the event by Hauwa Balami, the NCC boss underscores the significant role played by the real sector of the country’s economy. he real sector of every economy in driving growth, creating jobs, and fostering prosperity.

According to him, the real sector encompasses various industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, construction, and infrastructure, which forms the backbone of the nation’s development.

“To ensure sustained progress and competitiveness, it is crucial that we embrace technological innovation and leverage the power of digital connectivity. Nigeria with its verse resources, entrepreneurial spirit, talented workforce holds immense potentials for growth, development. However, to fully unlock these potentials we must bridge the digital divide and create enabling environment for innovation in the real sector,” Prof Danbatta said.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed, said the university is an academic environment and therefore must provide a platform for cross fertilization of ideas and for wider conversation on local and international issues.

The VC used the opportunity to appreciate the Governor for his support, dedication and commitment shown to the NSUK project, stressing that under his watch as the Visitor, the university has attained massive infrastructural development scattered in all campuses of the university.

He added that under Engineer Sule’s watch, NSUK has also witnessed the introduction of new courses under the faculty of engineering as well as the college of health and medical sciences, with lectures billed to commence in the first week of October this year.

In a goodwill message, Emir of Keffi, HRH Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, noted that the Nigerian state is blessed with abundant natural resources, but that what remains to done is the value addition to these resources.