Poor industrialization: ONLY 17.4 PERCENT OF AFRICANS CAN BOAST OF SECURITY COVER….NLC

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  has lamented that, as a result of poor industrialisation, only 17.4 percent of Africans can boast of security cover.

 

The President of NLC,  Ayuba Wabba who stated this in his statement to commemorate the Africa’s Industrialization Day, said poor industrialization has a lot of negative impacts on the people.

 

The statement personally signed by the Congress President, noted that industrialization is at the heart of productivity, growth, jobs, and social inclusion.

 

It however stated that, poor  industrialization results  in  low  productivity,  stunted economic growth, fewer jobs, and social chaos.

 

According to the statement, “it is important to pay serious  attention  to  the  matter  of  industrialization,  productivity, economic growth, job creation and social development in Africa”.

 

It noted that: “The  theme  of this  year’s  Africa Industrialization Day  –  Industrializing Africa:  Renewed  commitment  towards  an Inclusive  and Sustainable Industrialization and Economic Diversification – could not have come at a better time.

 

“The is given the dislocation occasioned by the incidence of the COVID-19 plague. The pandemic has revealed the acute deficits of social protection cover as only 17.4% of Africans can boast of security cover”.

 

The statement maintained that the challenge was symptomatic of poor industrialization and the consequent dearth of decent jobs in Africa.

 

” We should use the occasion of the commemoration of the 2021 Africa’s Industrialization Day to re-write the narrative of under-development in our continent which is perpetuated by acute de-industrialization. This is the  time  to  change  the  begging  bowl  stereotype  of  the  African continent by re-industrializing our cities, towns and villages”, the statement stated..

 

The statement pointed out that having missed the first, second and third industrial revolutions, African cannot afford to be left out of the fourth revolution.

 

“We  must  diligently  implement  the  core  provisions  of  the foregoing Development Plans with a focus on Industry 4.0 – a sub-set of the fourth industrial revolution that includes cyber-physical systems, the  internet  of  things,  the  industrial  internet  of  things,  cloud computing, cognitive computing and artificial intelligence.

 

“There are a number of catch up before we can hop on the train of the fourth  industrial  revolution.  We  must  prioritize  our  social  sector.  We must improve social services. We must increase budgetary allocation to education, health and social welfare services and with an eye on value for  money.

 

“We  must  improve  physical  infrastructure.  We  must  build roads, railways and inland waterways to connect our sub regions. We must  resolve  the  chaos  in  our aviation  sector.  We  must  enhance the value additions to our primary modes of our economy.

 

“We must restore the culture of mutual respect, maintain the peace, foster stability and end the wars and violence on the mother continent. Now is the time to industrialize Africa”,.