The Chairman of Manufactures Association of Nigeria (MAN), Senator Adawari Mac Pepple has reiterated the need for the Federal Government to support the manufacturing sector with loan facility as part of measures to mitigate the impact of Convid-19 pandemic on the sector.
The chairman who said this during the 6th annual general meeting held in Port Harcourt, noted that the Convid-19 pandemic had impacted negatively on the manufactures due to lack of access to raw materials.
He said that despite Federal Government’s claim of improved electricity supply, many organisations had shutdown due to lack of power supply.
According to him,” the moment they solve the problem of power, I can tell you the rest are secondary; the most is that there must be road infrastructure; there must be improved infrastructure, because my produced goods, cannot even be transported from trans-Amadi to Onne port. If I try it, my trailer and my goods will fall, which is not achievement. The fact is that there is no way the private sector will assume the responsibility of the public sector. We can not build roads; we cannot build rail lines”.
The highlight of the meeting was discussions on how the pandemic crisis on manufactures can be averted.
Members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria at 6th Annual General Meeting reasoned that lack of investment in the manufacturing sector had contributed to the rising cases of unemployment in the country, urging both federal and state governments to invest in the sector, as most of the manufactures are closing down to join politics.