National Confab: Delegate, Ladi Ibrahim wants FG to establish 2 sea ports in Kogi

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As the ongoing national conference enters its crucial stage, a delegate representing Kogi State, Hajia Ladi Ibrahim has enjoined the Federal Government to construct two seaports in the state.

She stated that while one of the seaports should be situated in Ajaokuta, the other one should be located in the state capital, Lokoja.

The delegate who is one of the delegates representing Kogi State at the confab averred that if seaports are constructed in Ajaokuta and Lokoja, they would facilitate movement of raw materials and finished products from the area.

She argued that the present burden on road would be reduced with the construction of the two ports in the state.

The delegate, who was a former Auditor-General in Kogi State said it had become imperative to have a seaport in Ajaokuta just as she pointed out that no nation achieved industrialisation without the sustainable development of its steel industry.

She maintained that if government could bring the construction of Ajaokuta Steel Complex to completion, a lot would be achieved toward the industrialisation of the nation.

According to her, it is a threat to the industrialized nations for any developing country to come up with its steel industry. Ajaokuta Steel Complex alone could generate over 10,000 jobs for the youth. I therefore suggest both short and long term plans for youths that went through tertiary institutions and those that did not go to school.

Ibrahim, who was also a former President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), said that the Federal Ministry of Education should inculcate entrepreneurship development in the training curriculum of all educational institutions.

Her words: “Professional bodies keen in creating jobs should equally look at their syllabus and create a practical entrepreneurship programme within their training programme. They can have a practical session that can make the professionals viable and not dependent on government for jobs. Apart from the government preparing short and long term plans for assisting the youth, we (private sector) should equally be involved in assisting the youth”.

She explained that the private sector should partner with government in seeing how youth unemployment could be addressed.

“The private sector can partner with government to bring in short term practical training to upgrade and absorb a lot of the youth”, she said.

Ibrahim also urged the Federal Government to re-strategise on economic planning.

She said that 70 per cent of the revenue of any country should go into capital expenditure for infrastructure development and sustainable development.

She averred that there is no country that will spend 70 per cent of its budget on recurrent expenditure as against capital.
“This is where our economic planning needs to be restrategised and when we talk about infrastructure and sustainable development, power supply is key”, she added.

According to the delegate, even tough government is trying to bring up the level of power supply, it has not been easy for both the private and the public sector to attain sustainable development without power. When you have power supply, you industrialize the nation. Nigerians must come together to find solution to corruption. It starts with each and every one of us. Most of the problems we face today came out of corruption. We all failed over the years to meet the growing trends of the youth. It is for everybody to look at whoever you are and have a rethink to change for the better. To see how each and every one of us can assist our country to move in the right direction by being a role model.