… As Senate demands plan
The federal government has proposed to spend one trillion naira on establishment of one cottage industry in each of the 774 Local Governments Area Councils of the country.
The Cottage Industries as declared by the Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume at an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Special Duties, are to specialise in the provision of different goods and services.
Fielding questions from members of the Committee, the minister said there is an ongoing discussion with the President on the matter, adding that if the President approves and the Federal Executive Council, the ministry will commence the implementation by June this year .
He said there is another plan by the private sector to commit N19 trillion for the establishment of cottage industries across the country for over a period of ten years, aside the one trillion Naira plan by the federal government.
He explained that the one trillion naira would be sourced through the private sector intervention, at two percent interest rate, which he said was decided to encourage the private sector perticipation.
Responding to the question on how the ministry intends to deal with the issue of power challenges in the country, and if the programme will run on gas and generator, the minister said the federal government, while designing and working on the establishment of the cottage industries, took into consideration the issue of power sources.
He said the ministry will prioritise solar power where it is available, and hydro and conventional power sources depending on the local government area involved.
“We are talking of cottage industries like tea, fruit juices, and not cement industry or auto manufactureing industry. But it cannot be generators, but conventional power sources or solar power sources”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Abubakar A. Yusuf (APC, Taraba Central), who sought clarifications on the one trillion fund for the projects, asked if the fund would come from Government or private sector.
He also asked the ministry to provide the details of what they are doing at executive level to avoid repetitive execrise, as some senators may sponsore private member Bill to that effect.
He also charged the ministry to be fast with the implementation of the policy by stating clearly what they intend to achieve at a given time.
Speaking also, the Senator representing Bayelsa East on APC platform, Degi Erienemyo, said the challenges in Nigeria is not lack of policies or programme but implementing them.
According to him, the poverty in the country is threatening and alarming, which must be seriously tackled through practical implementation of the policy .
In his own contribution, Senator Francis Adenigba Fadaunsi ( PDP Osun East), said the federal government agricultural activities must be youth based so that when the older generation goes, the younger ones will takeover the responsibility of feeding the nation.
He said for this reason, the budget of the ministry of Special Duties should be the largest, especially to ensure a hitchfree implementation of the policies in areas of agriculture and power sources for the cottage industry.
