NEDEP

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday, formally
launched the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP)
and the National Enterprise Development Programme
(NEDEP), two policies he was confident would
accelerate inclusive growth and job creation in the
country.
Performing the ceremony in the Banquet Hall of the
Presidential Villa, the President observed that a great
economy must be based on a solid industrial sector
with well diversified minds and sources of revenue, as
well as a vibrant micro and small medium enterprise
sector to create jobs and provide leverages.
According to him, the NIRP and NEDEP would help to
fast-track the attainment of these goals as they were
targeted at transforming Nigerian businesses and
improving the living standard of the ordinary people.
He added: “It will accelerate inclusive growth and job
creation and save the drain on our reserve caused by
importing what we can produce locally.
“The Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, the National
Enterprise Development Programme will also impress
impetus for our National Transformation Agenda by
ushering in a new era of value addition, enterprise
development and industrialisation.”
Jonathan expressed his belief that the Nigerian
economy must be developed and that was why his
administration had been resolute in executing the
Nigerian agenda for economic reform.
He highlighted some of the successes recorded by his
administration so far, saying, “our track record in this
regard is strong every year. Just coming into office, we
have consolidated Nigeria’s fiscal position. We have
launched the boldest transformation of the agricultural
sector and we are on the way to increasing Nigeria’s
food production by 20 million tonnes per annum.
“Among other significant achievements, we have
fundamentally reorganised the power sector by
privatising 11 distribution and four generating
companies and bringing in the private sector capital
and expertise.
“We have upgraded facilities within the Nigerian
aviation sector to standards never seen before in this
country and we have started rail services that have
been dormant for over 20 years.
Our road network has also received unprecedented
attention and improvement in the last three years,” he
said.
While hoping that the NIRP and the NEDEP would
would be major additions to these landmark
achievements, the president observed that the NIRP,
which he said was the most ambitious industrialisation
programme ever pursued in Nigeria, would accelerate
areas where Nigeria has comparative and competitive
advantages, such as the processing of food and
agricultural products, metals, solid mineral processing
and Nigeria-related industries and construction like
manufacturing services.
He explained that these sub-sectors were prioritised
because they would also generate jobs and tap into
existing markets and demands in Nigeria, saying, “in
each of these sectors, we could become number one in
Africa and in the top 10 globally because of our
competitive advantage.”
Similarly, he said the NIRP would also address the
problem that had persistently limited manufacturers
and build up industrial infrastructure, prioritise power
for industrial use, reduce borrowing cost and mobilise
funds to the real sector.
“The benefit of NIRP will boost the annual revenue
earned by Nigerian manufacturers by up to N5 trillion
per annum,” he stated.
In his remark on the occasion, Governor Olusegun
Mimiko of Ondo State lauded Jonathan for his policies,
which he noted had transformed various sectors of the
country, adding, therefore, that it would be a
herculean task for any opponent who wanted to
challenge the president in the 2015 presidential
election.
Mimiko noted that whoever wanted to challenge
Jonathan should be prepared to show the alternative
policies to the ones the president had pursued with
“single mindedness,” with outstanding success.
However, he reminded Jonathan that he would criticize
him constructively when the need arose, adding, “I
can assure you I will not write you any letter.”
Also speaking, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State
similarly commended the president for his political will
to implement policies, some of which, he observed,
had been in existence but only in the archives.