EDIRI EJOH

The Manufacturing Partnerships for African Development, MPAD, has lamented the persistent gas shortages at power stations, saying that it is unfavourable to manufacturing industries plants as well as hindering it’s input to the development of country’ economy.

Speaking at the Manufacturing Partnerships for African Development Conference in Lagos, Conference Director, Fotoule Fatouros, said there is a large market for the manufacturing industries in Nigeria and the sector is one of the biggest developing sectors in the country, adding that local manufacturers should ensure to look out for a way to addressing these challenges in the industry.

She said, “We are looking at gas as an applicable option for manufacturing plant and at certain to different types of manufacturers like the Nigerian Brewery for instance ,but at the moment there has been some issues in the gas sector in the country, like the shortage of gas and the political issues like the PIB attached to it.

“So it is good for the country’s manufacturers to create a platform where they can discuss with their key stakeholders as well as involving experts, in other to proffer better ideas that would bring solutions to the challenges bedeviling the country’s gas supply.

“One good thing to be done is speak about it, because if no complaint, nothing would be done and so this includes the local manufacturers to also have a say.”

She further stated that it is not enough to boast of being rich in gas, but that the Federal Government needs to engage key experts in gas production and the research being conducted by professors and the universities, as they hold the needed statistics and the ideas on how gas can be accessed in the development scheme.

By next year, the company will be fully operating in Nigeria, to partner with its manufacturing sector.

In an outlook to chart a new course for the power sector, she noted that the company seeks an alternative solution to power for manufacturing efficiency.

She said, “What we are trying to do is to look out for an alternative solution to power for the manufacturing plant because the more erratic the power supply the more robust is the production input.

“So we are trying to find alternative ways to produce power and maintain manufacturing excellence at the same time, which is why we are looking at gas and solar energy to resolving the challenges of power in the sector.”

She urged the Federal Government, The Distribution Companies, DISCOs and Generation Companies, GENCOs, as well as the regulators to promote activities that will provide power to the manufacturing industries to drive the economy.

According to her, “One amazing thing about this development is that it gives local manufacturers a sense of involvement and also have helped them access to different kinds of funds so they can power their plants. It is also a great way to promote growth locally in Nigeria instead of focusing external sources of manufacturing, adding that Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP, has a significant prospect in the development in the sector as well.