Industrialist tasks governments on agric, solid minerals

The federal and state governments have been tasked to embark on deliberate efforts to develop the solid mineral and agriculture sectors to create employment for youths and wealth for the people.

An industrialist and Managing Director, West African Ceramics Limited, Ajaokuta, Kogi, Mr Barska Rao, said this while receiving a delegation from Kogi Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on facility tour of the company as part of activities marking the 2019 Press Week being organised by the council.

He said that the country was blessed with huge solid mineral deposits and vast arable land for agriculture, which could be exploited and developed to create employment opportunities and wealth.

Rao said that the problem of insurgency was due to the high rate of unemployment among youths and widespread poverty among the people.

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The industrialist, therefore, urged the Federal, State and Local Governments to make deliberate efforts to develop the sectors to get youths engaged and divert their attention from crimes.

Rao noted that the deliberate efforts made by his company to provide employment for youths in its host community had led to a great reduction in kidnapping, armed robbery and other vices among youths of the area.

“Out of 1,500 workers in our company, 1,300 are from Kogi State with the majority of them being youths. This has reduced crimes among youths and give us a safe environment to operate,’’ Rao said.

He said that the company had concluded arrangements to establish a technical training center where youths will undergo skill training in plumping, electrical and electronics as well as bricklaying, among others.

According to him, the move is to further help the country to equip some of her youths who have become idle as a result of lack of employment, with skills that will make them self- employed.

Rao said that the company had also contributed to the growth of the country’s economy by sourcing 95 percent of its raw materials locally.

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He explained that the company which is into the production of Royal brand of ceramic tiles, marble, and granite, had also helped in bringing down the costs of building materials in the country.

The managing director appealed to construction companies, developers and individuals to patronise made-in-Nigeria tiles, marbles, and granite which were much stronger, durable, cheaper and environmentally friendly than the imported ones.

The chairman of the NUJ, Kogi state,  Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, commended the organisation for its strong love for Nigeria by investing billions of Naira in her economy.

He said that the visit was organised as part of activities marking the 2019 Press Week of the union, urging the company not to relent in its efforts to provide jobs for youths in its host community.