Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment said on Tuesday that the two years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been result-oriented, though challenging.
Enelamah stated this in Abuja at a Town Hall Meeting organised to celebrate the achievements of President Buhari Administration’s two years in office.
He said though there had been challenges occasioned by the battered economy inherited from the previous administration, but that the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had recorded some achievements.
The minister said part of the vision of the ministry, was to champion the course of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through the implementation of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, in line with the aspirations of the Federal Government.
He said the ministry was also working on an executive order on ‘Ease of Doing Business,’ adding that the idea was to make Nigeria one of the most attractive destinations for investment in Africa.
According to him, his ministry was leveraging on its comparative advantage by collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to make the country competitive in food production.
He said the administration had set up an industrial council with a mandate of bringing about government-private sector synergy in the interest of the country.
Enelamah said the ministry had already attained local sugar production proficiency in Niger and Adamawa states and had started the establishment and upgrading of existing industrial parks across the geopolitical zones.
He said that the administration had inaugurated the National Council for SMEs with a view to enhancing activities in the sector.
The minister added that the capital needed to transform Nigeria could not be raised solely by the government.
He said the ministry had strengthened the investment promotion capacity of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) so that both foreign and local business would be encouraged.
In his remark, Mr Suleimen Adamu, the Minister of Water Resources said the ministry had commenced empowerment programme for youths in irrigation farming, adding that the programme would employ hundreds of youths.
According to him, the idea was to reduce unemployment and increase food production in the country.
Adamu explained that the ministry was partnering with state governments to ensure easy access to potable water. (NAN)