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NASSI calls for researchers, manufacturers deal to scale-up non-oil sectror  

The Nigerian Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI), is advocating for a robust synergy between the research institutes and producers in the country to improve export of non-oil products.  

Mr Noma Iguisi, Chairman of NASSI, Edo Chapter, made the call in Benin on Monday, saying that countries enjoying benefits of huge export volumes had active synergy among research institutes, manufacturers and government.  

“For instance, if yam is to be exported, the research institute will provide the conditions that will make yam to remain in good form while being exported.  

“The producer will then study these conditions and ensure that the conditions are applied during export” .  

He said that embracing value addition, especially for perishable items would play a great role in boosting Nigeria’s non oil export volume.  

“Yams can also be exported in processed forms; pharmaceutical grain starch, chips and flour.  

“Adding value to products enhances durability, ease of transportation and competitiveness of products.  

“Also, tomatoes and vegetables will have longer shelf live during exportation if value addition is done”.  

He further said that small businesses would easily penetrate the export market if provided with the needed funding.  

“For instance, if a company aboard is ordering for 30 tons of sesame seeds from Nigeria; you need a lot of resources to process 30 tons for export.  

“Many of our small producers are not able to export in large quantities because of financial constraints.  

“It is not very easy to get loans from the bank to process such transactions,” he explained.  

He added that there was need for continued farmers’ education on the right agronomic practices to meet international standards”.  

NASS

NASS committee moves for speedy passage of petroleum bill

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Moses Uwagbale

 The Joint committees of the two chambers of the National Assembly (NASS) on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), have assured a speedy passage of the bill.

The joint committee made the assurance during a visit they made to the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) on Monday in Kaduna.

During the tour, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on PIB, Sen. Sabo Nakudu, said the NASS was aware of  its conditions and other refineries in Nigeria and are working tirelessly on the passage of the PIB.

Nakudu said, “Our role as members of the National Assembly is to support the executive to make sure whatever they want to achieve is being given the required legislative support.

“We don’t have the executive powers to revamp the refineries. Year in and out, every chief executive or minister that comes on board always say they will make the refineries work, but here we are still battling their deplorable state.

Nakudu, however, said they at the national assembly could do nothing, because they were not requested to give any legislative backing or approval to effect the normal working conditions of the refineries.

“The situation of our refineries is terrible, I don’t know if the managing director can explain but I cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel.

“Be that as it may, our reason for being here is that we want to pass the PIB bill, therefore we came to look into the state of our refineries, to collaborate, seek your opinions and views on what legislative inputs you want”.

“As a committee, we are ready and hoping that by the time we pass the bill, the refineries will come back to life”, Nakudu also said.

Also, the Co-Chairman of the PIB Joint Committee at the House of Representatives, Mr Muhammad Mongono, said the PIB passage had been postponed and adjourned for soo many times.

“This time around, there is commitment on the part of NASS to make sure the bill is passed, this is borne out of the fact that amendments of our laws concerning oil and gas industries is long overdue,” Mongono said.

He noted that for Nigeria to remain relevant and competitive within the oil industry and for the fact which the world is moving away from fuel to renewable energy, it became an issue of great concern to accelerate quick passage of the bill.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Managing Director of KRPC, Mr Ezekiel Osarolube, however, said the

nation’s refineries being currently on rehabilitation, initial activities and planning were still going on in the right direction.

Osarolube said the visit by the NASS joint committee on PIB would serve as a morale booster to the members of staff of KRPC who in spite of the numerous challenges sustained operations of the plant up till 2017 when they had a major plant failure.

“The plant again operated for nine days in June 2019 until the available crude oil in the refinery was exhausted,”he said. The managing director assured the joint committee of his support on the critical national assignment given them toward achieving the set objectives of making KRPC and other refineries work again.