Diversification: Workers call for revival of bulk export of cocoa facility, Ajaokuta steel

As part of efforts toward diversifying the nation’s economy, workers under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have called for the revival of the abandoned infrastructure at the Ikeja Industrial Estate and Apapa Port in Lagos state, installed to handle bulk export of cocoa.

Ayuba Wabba, NLC President in a statement obtained by Abuja City Business, alleged that Ajaokuta Steel Company conceived to be the foundation and cornerstone of our industrialization, was wilfully neglected by previous administrations.

Report from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) showed that Nigeria recorded the highest export of cocoa and its products valued at N131.2 billion in 2014. Of the amount, N43.191billion was realized in Q1; over N18. 558 billion was recorded in Q2; over N24.845 billion was recorded in Q3 while N44.695 billion was recorded in Q4 of last year.

Olusegun Aganga, former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment who spoke at the Nigerian Cocoa Value Addition Summit held in Abuja last year, observed that the initiative would help Nigeria to claim a greater share of the global market for finished goods made from cocoa estimated at $200 billion yearly, in addition to thousands of employment in the sub-sector.

Wabba who affirmed that “virtually all parts of our country is blessed with one form of agricultural produce or the other,” however emphasized the need for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to “invest in modern agricultural infrastructure so that we can bring back the groundnut pyramids, the cocoa and palm plantations of the First Republic.

“In Ikeja Industrial Estate and the Apapa Port in Lagos, the infrastructure built to handle bulk export of cocoa are still lying waste. These can be revived.”

Similarly, the Congress called on the present administration to revisit the abandoned Ajaokuta Steel Company project.

Wabba who expressed regret over the inordinate attitude to the project, said: “it is such a big national shame that Ajaokuta Steel Company conceived to be the foundation and cornerstone of our industrialisation has been wilfully neglected and abandoned all these years after over $5 billion had been sunk into the construction of its huge and vast edifice.

“Additionally, Ajaokuta was also meant to produce the steel we need as a country to replace our obsolete rail lines with modern standard gauge rail lines.

“On a recent visit by a delegation of Congress leadership to China, and following discussions with top officers of the ruling establishment there, shows a clear readiness to partner with Nigeria to make functional our steel development sector, which the western world has over the years conspired with our unpatriotic elite to prevent from functioning.”