FG orders raw materials centres established in all states

The Federal Government has directed that the Raw Materials Resource and Information Centres be established in the 36 states of the federation to boost industrialisation in the country.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, gave the directive to the Director General of Raw Materials Research and Development Council, while commissioning its headquarters phase II and Raw Materials Resources and Information Center in Abuja.

According to the minister, “the new resource centre, when established across the states will make it easier for potential investors and our young ones to have access to the raw materials house in these. I want to see this resource centre established in all the states in the federation.

“That way, it will be easier and our young ones will have access to these facilities. With this a business man can come in here and take a single decision to invest in a particular raw material. It is also going to help our students, who can come here to start dreaming on using these raw materials to produce finished goods.

“It is not only information you will get, you will get the location of the raw material, reserves and processed technologies that you require to enable you take the raw materials from their native states to products that you can now invest your money.

“It is extremely important for the diversification programme of our president. We want to diversify our economy; we do not want to rely on oil and gas as major sources of revenue as a nation. We are looking on how we can create jobs for our teaming youths. This is the best way to grow economy, fight poverty and create wealth.”

The Director General of the Council, Professor Hussaini Ibrahim, noted that the Council embarked on the expansion of its resource centre to accommodate the increasing demands by investors for information on raw materials availability and also capture the complete value chain potentials of Nigeria’s industrial raw materials within one environment of modern ambience that houses state-of-the-art multimedia facilities.