‘Absence of basic infrastructure stalling rural development’

An industrialist, Godwin Ezeemo, has urged government at all levels to provide basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, pipe-borne water and communication networks in rural areas, to reduce rural-urban migration.

Ezeemo made the call in Umuchu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Monday while reacting to the state of the nation’s economy.

He noted that such infrastructural provisions would also encourage the siting of industries in rural areas, generate employment, reduce youth restiveness and boost the revenue generation profile of the local government area.

The industrialist, who was the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), candidate in the 2014 gubernatorial election in Anambra, said the absence of these basic amenities were discouraging investors from siting their industries in rural areas.

“No industry will survive when you generate your own power. It is not cost effective and it will increase the price of the goods you are producing.

“If all tiers of government will provide these things, it will encourage more people to go to the villages and reduce the over-population being experienced in most cities.

“It is difficult to employ young graduates to work in the rural areas where there is no pipe-borne water, communication service, access road and regular electricity.

“They prefer staying in the city doing less paid jobs than working in the village. If government is serious about creating employment, they should provide the enabling environment for industries to thrive,’’ he said.

Ezeemo also stressed the need for government to give tax rebate to new industries to enable them stabilise while the tax collected should be judiciously used to encourage citizens to pay their tax without being forced, pay only when they need something from government or during elections.

The industrialist, who lived abroad for over two decades, said he located his industries in his home town to create jobs, enthrone decent living for his community and replicate what he learnt in the United Kingdom for the good of all.

“It is the passion l have to give back to my community where l will retire to that made me to invest in the village and to place my community on the map of developed towns.

“With the dearth of these social amenities, l spend more that l gain in all my investments so far, but l am not discouraged because my vision is to leave a legacy that will outlive me,’’ he said.

Ezeemo called on wealthy people of the state to imbibe the `Think Home’ philosophy and develop their communities, as government alone cannot provide all that was needed to enthrone an egalitarian society in the state.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the industrialist has a feed mill, petrol station, table water producing factory, a hospitality outfit, poultry farm, a saw-machine assembly plant, all in Umuchu community, while his Orient Newspaper is located in Awka, the state capital.