STEEL AND TEXTILE REVITALIZATION
I prefer to focus on solutions to some of our problems. I’ve discussed various topics ranging from the auto industry to electricity and health. Today, I want to address two specific sectors:
- The Steel Sector
We have several steel plants, including the Ajaokuta Steel Plant, the UMO Steel Rolling Mill, the Kogi Steel Rolling Mill, and the Aladdin Steel Rolling Mill. Many of these are not operational or are underperforming. If we acknowledge that we may lack the expertise to reactivate these plants, let’s consider partnering with Chinese firms. They could manage these plants with us, and we could share the profits. This would ensure we have sufficient steel. If we cannot manage steel production effectively, we might as well consider selling these assets. It’s concerning that while private families can run steel plants, an entire country struggles with it. This is a shame.
Additionally, let me address the railway line that ends at ujevwu and does not extend to Abuja. Whoever designed this line should have considered extending it directly to Abuja. Completing this extension would reduce transportation costs, improve the movement of goods and services, and alleviate road traffic.
In the steel sector, we should focus not only on producing rods and billets but also on producing flat steel. This flat steel could be used in the automobile industry, complementing the auto sector I previously discussed. Moreover, we should encourage recycling of metals, plastics, and paper. The cost of paper has risen significantly, and I understand this issue firsthand, as I write books and my family owns a printing press.
- The Textile Sector
We need to reactivate the textile industry. We had several textile mills, such as the ASATEX Textile Mill in the North. Once security in the North is guaranteed, we can grow cotton and use it to revitalize the industry. Cotton seed oil and cotton seed cake can be diversified into animal feed. It should be mandatory for Nigerian civil servants to wear Nigerian-made clothing, with exceptions for very technical jobs or security agencies. The fact that we rely on imported clothing is embarrassing.
We should encourage local textile producers, promote them online, and have our celebrities and governors wear Nigerian-made clothes. For instance, the governor of Anambra State proudly wears clothes produced in his state. Promoting Nigerian prints and uniforms will have a significant positive impact.
Nigeria does not need genius-level intelligence or rocket science to turn its economy around. However, we are surrounded by individuals who seem more interested in their personal welfare than in the country’s progress. I am frustrated by the bureaucratic hurdles involved in obtaining documents to visit my children, while our leaders often have easy access to visas and residency in other countries. Some even have passports from other nations, which they use to escape, as many have done.
It is not too difficult to improve the economy of this blessed country. We need to prioritize national interest over personal gain.
Dr. Charles Apoki is still my name. God bless you.
