The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment in mapping out policies and programmes aimed at promoting local production of goods and services and reducing dependency on foreign imports.
Minister of State for Budget and National planning Mr. Clem Ikanade Agba stated this while inspecting the first company established to produce food for stunted children in Kano.
According to the minister, the nation had lost over 5 trillion naira on imports waiver, which forced government to borrow in order to finance capital infrastructural projects.
Mr Clem explained that unless the nation produces locally, it will be difficult to change the problems as there is a huge dependence on foreign exchange rates which makes the forex so high in the country.
He pointed out that the federal government would do everything possible to assist similar factories to achieve full capacity production as preparations were in top gear to curtail the foreign exchange disparity which results in additional charges.
7″We are trying hard to correct this narrative,even though we have presented our medium term framework to the national assembly,so that we brought out there knowledge what is happening for us to work collectively and stop the problems”
Earlier in his remarks,the general manager of the company Alhaji Abdoulkader Yonli said they are having problems with raw materials but are now concentrating on local productions.
He said the management had reached an agreement with groundnut farmers in Kebbi State to produce quality products for them.
Alhaji Abdoulkader Yonli added that some state governments as well as foreign countries including Niger, Chad and Cameroun have ordered their products and they are working tirelessly to meet their demands.
KHADIJAH ALIYU