From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State born business mogul, Dr. Ceasar Osaheni Iyayi, yesterday, canvassed the urgent need for President Muhammadu Buhari to synergize with the 36 State governors to come out with strategies to industrialize the country, saying that Nigeria occupies the centrepiece on how to indstrialize Africa.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City ahead of public presentation of his book titled “The ABC of how to Industrialize Nigeria”, Dr. Iyayi identified electricity as a key requirement.
“If we want to industrialize, we must have electricity, we don not have it. But we can have in nine months in clusters”.
To achieve this, he called on the Federal Government to authorise Nigerian entrepreneurs to use the gas being flared free to set industries to create employment for the army of the unemployed in the country, stressing “we should put all our energy into manufacturing, using gas.
“The Federal Government and the Governors should synergize to bring in LM 2500 that generate between 32-33 megawatts of electricity and connect to where gas is being flared. Each LM 2500 costs $11.3 million”, he said.
Dr. Iyayi while recalling that the developed world has set 2040 to phase out the use of fossil fuel, warned the country not to wait to be caught off guard, saying that Africa has 18 years to start doing something adding “if we wait for 2040, it will be too late”.
He said Nigerians are arguably the smartest people on earth who have the sagacity and managerial ability to perform but noted that what is lacking is leadership and therefore stressed that it is up President Buhari to give the country a direction, insisting that “what other countries cannot do, Nigeria can do it”.
Dr. Iyayi pointed out that there is no country in the world that was industrialized by foreigners, insisting that it is not too late for the President and the governors to galvnize the private sector and entrepreneurs, just as he called for the setting up a team to brainstorm on the suggestions contained in his book with a view to implementing them.
He drew attention to the take-over of Delta Steel Company (DSC) by the Indians 15 years but noted that they have failed to produce a sheet of iron thereafter because they are protecting their industry at home.
Dr. Iyayi also cited what China is currently doing to Hongkong and Taiwan and predicted that in a shortwhile China would take over Africa in search of new frontiers for its ever growing population.