President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday assured Nigerians that his legacies would outlive his administration.
The President gave the assurance at the launch of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both programmes, initiated and spearheaded by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, are aimed at launching the nation’s industrial revolution.
The President said his administration was ready to build a great economy based on solid industrial sector, with well diversified minds and sources of revenue.
The NIRP and the NEDEP, he added, would create vibrant micro, small and medium enterprises sector that would create jobs and provide leverages.
He said “as we celebrate our centenary, it is clear to us that the measures put in place by the nation cannot be detached from the dependability of its economy.
“The Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan and the National Enterprise Development Programme will help to fast track the attainment of these goals.
“The programmes are targeted at transforming Nigerian businesses and changing the lives of the ordinary people.
“They will accelerate inclusive growth and job creation and save the drain on our reserve, caused by the importation of what we can locally produce.’’
The President said the programmes would serve as the bedrock of the National Transformation Agenda by urshering in a new era of value addition, enterprise development and industrialisation.
Jonathan said he would soon inaugurate the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Council which would be chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo.
He said the Nigeria NIRP Presidential Advisory Group which would meet with him periodically, would also be established.
He noted that both bodies would constitute parts of the institutional framework to monitor and provide guidance for the implementation of the programmes.
Jonathan said that his administration believed that the Nigerian economy must be developed solidly and accounted for the resolute execution of the Nigerian agenda for economic reform.
The President said “our track record in this regard is strong, every year since we came into office we have consolidated Nigeria’s fiscal position.
“We have launched the boldest transformation of the agriculture sector and we are on the way to increasing Nigeria’s food production by 20 million tonnes per annum.
“This administration has reorganised the power sector by privatising 11 distribution and four generating companies and brought in private sector capital and expertise”.
He said the administration had upgraded facilities within the Nigerian aviation sector to standards never seen before in the country.
“We have started rail services that have been dormant for over 20 years and our road networks have received unprecedented attention and improvement in the last three years,” he said.
Jonathan said that the NIRP and NEDEP would be major additions to the landmark achievements of the current administration.
Earlier, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, had said that NIRP was designed to make Nigeria a net exporter of 15 major products.
He said there would be creation of industrial parks in all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, while each local government council would be identified with a product with comparative advantage.
He assured that the implementation of the programmes would be wholistic, integrated and competitive.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the President also inspected the exhibition stands for locally-made SUV jeeps and buses by Innoson Group.
Also inspected by the President was locally-assembled Armoured Personnel Carrier, tanks, patrol boats and helicopters.
He also inspected locally-made leather products, cosmetics made from shea butter, herbal products, plastics and polythene products. (NAN)