By Olugbenga Salami
Stakeholders has thrown their weight behind a bill to amend the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC Act 2022 aims at processing raw materials in Nigeria before exporting them.
At a public hearing organised on
Wednesday in Abuja by the Senate Committee on Science and Technology on the bill conceptualized by the RMRDC and sponsored by Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the stakeholders like the Ministry of Solid Minerals; Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON; Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, etc, appealed for expeditious consideration and passage of the piece of legislation.
In their separate presentations, representatives of the stakeholders described purpose of the amendment bill as a required catalyst to turnaround the fortune of the country from exporting jobs and wealth abroad to generating them here.
Specifically, the Director General of Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike Muonso, said final consideration and passage of the bill would stop exportation of wealth and jobs to foreign countries by Nigeria through processing of raw materials before exporting them.
“Today is my happiest day with the 100% support the amendment bill got from the various stakeholders,” he said.
In his closing remarks, the chairman of the committee, Senator Iya Abbas, said since there was no opposing views to the proposed amendment bill, the committee will accordingly submit its report to the Senate soonest for final consideration and passage.
The RMRDC bill, which scaled second reading on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 would ensure local processing of at least 30% raw materials before export.
It is also imperative for fostering Nigeria’s industrial growth and development through value addition locally as it prioritizes domestic production and local manufacturing.
