By Raymond Gukas, Jos
Participants on a popular WhatsApp platform of Plateau State citizens, open discussion on why the state has not been able to sustain some landmark enterprises that have for years been the hallmark of profitable ventures to the state and the people.
According to the discussion which centred on the resusitation of some ailing state owned enterprises, they jointly opined that such ventures could boost the state revenue and create jobs for the teeming youths.
Also participants were in agreement for a need to explore other sources of revenue that are laying waste across the state, if truly the state intends to drop the toga of “a civil service state” which has affected it negatively.
Though, arguments on the resusitation of the Jos International Breweries, JIB, a onetime revenue mainstay of the state was greeted with mixed reactions, some are of the opinion that the way to go was agriculture.
The state had in the second republic, ran the BARC farm, which is a subsidiary of the JIB, and was doing very well then until it went comatose shortly after the military struck, thereby truncating that civilian republic in 1983.
A participant, Boniface Kassam did not hide his feelings for the encouragement of small and medium businesses to thrive, which, he emphasized the results would be felt in areas of revenue generation as well as individual empowerment and economic growth of the state.
He argued that the much talked about resusitation of the JIB has not yielded any positive results and government must explore other sources.
For the burnt Jos main market, Alex Kwapnoe is of the view that the government should consider the setting up of shopping malls and complexes in strategic areas of the metropolis instead of the huge resources that has been budgeted for the purpose of demolishing the chared facility.
However, Danjuma Maina blamed the scenario on the lack of “new policies and initiatives that would define the economic fortunes of the state.
Munatare Munashak an online blogger and participant noted that these issues being raised are likely to be addressed by the coming “Plateau investment forum.”
For Dara Gyang Dudu, the Berom Educational Cultural Organization(BECO) National President, government should hasten work on the Plateau state inland container deport, which he stressed was capable of opening the state before the International trade.
“I had earlier suggested the use of Public, private partnership but I later observe we don’t really have strong, willing and genuine private investors in this clime looking at what has happened to Jos Steel Rolling company, Madara Ltd and what is going on in highland bottling company in Barkin Ladi. Government need to get serious investors even.if they are not indigenes. That way any serious Nigerian investor with a good proposal could be considered”, Ali Maina, observed.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.