By Asmau Ahmad
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has urged entrepreneurs and investors to channel ideas and resources into areas of the economy that stimulate growth, with long-term effect on job creation and poverty reduction.
The president, who stated this when he received Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Board members of the Group at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, assured that fixing infrastructure remained government’s top priority.
The president said the challenges in transportation and energy would continue to attract attention for a turnaround.
He, therefore, urged entrepreneurs in the country and foreign investors to focus on areas that would leave lasting legacies of transforming lives.
President Buhari told the delegation, which was on a courtesy visit, that reforms were already going on in the public sector to reposition it into a more effective and result oriented engine room that will encourage more investments.
“I am keenly aware of the many challenges in the business environment and the investment climate despite the sustained efforts by this government to bring about improvements.
“I want to assure you, however, that Government will do everything possible to enhance the development in infrastructure, especially in energy and transportation sectors.
“We will also continue to implement needed reforms in the public service to significantly improve the ease of doing business,” he said.
Buhari lauded Dangote for always investing in areas that bring the highest benefits to Nigerians.
He also commended the Dangote Group for extending investments to other African countries, while highlighting the vision behind the refinery.
In his remarks, Aliko Dangote, said the Board was at the State House to express profound appreciation to the president for the great honour to the Dangote Group when he inaugurated the new 3m MTPD Fertilizer plant.
The plant was the latest subsidiary company of the Dangote Fertilizer Limited.
According to Dangote, the Board looks forward to the return of President Buhari to inaugurate the Oil Refineries and Petrochemicals project, which would transform the Nigerian economy.
He expressed the hope that with more investments in agriculture and Oil and Gas sectors more impact will be made on the economy.
Dangote submitted that the group of industries will always hold on to the president’s mantra on the economy to “produce what we consume and consume what we produce.”
