By Alltimepost.com
Zambian Minister of Labor, Comrade Fackson Shamenda says Nigeria is now the true leader on the African continent having taken the back seat for so many years.
Shamenda made the remark while speaking during a visit to Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in Benin City on Wednesday.
He said it was a shame that Nigeria which all the people on the continent looked up to had to get foreign telecommunications companies to spearhead the GSM industry in the country.
“The first time I came to Nigeria, I saw a big plane with an elephant painted on it, and I wondered because elephants do not fly. Nigeria is supposed to be the big brother of Africa but the first GSM Company came in from Zimbabwe when you are supposed to take development to Zimbabwe,” he said.
This time, he continued Nigeria has repositioned itself as a leader, referring to the recent establishment of a cement plant in Zambia by the Dangote group as a testament to that.
“It is gladdening, because it shows Nigeria is now truly taking up its role as the leader in Africa. I am proud of the son of the soil.”
“We shall always cooperate with this great Nigerian son, Dangote. I was impressed when this leading investor in Nigeria and Africa came to Zambia to locate one of the largest cement plants in Africa there.
“We are proud to see a Nigeria taking the lead in Africa, unlike the way it used to be, you cannot help the developed if you don’t help the underdeveloped, you cannot help the rich if you don’t help the poor.
“It is for Africans and ourselves to develop our continent, it is for us to do it ourselves, you don’t expect others to do it for us. It is time for you and me, coming from our labor background to play our role so that we leave the continent better than we met it.”
“I have been following your activities, you are the same Adams that I have known for so many years and I have no doubt in my mind that the people of this state made the right choice and will not be disappointed and I don’t think they have been disappointed so far.”
In his response, Governor Oshiomhole thanked the Minister for the right policies which attracted a Nigerian businessman to invest in Zambia, saying African countries should have policies to promote the unity of the continent.
“I want to thank you for the policies which the Zambian Government has put in place not only to encourage foreign direct investment in their sector but to give necessary incentives to an African to penetrate the market, to locate the plants and provide the security they needed to establish and to do a lot of things they have to do to get the plant in operation.
He stressed the need for African countries to have policies that promote African unity and that the best way to achieve that was to create jobs and use the resources they have for the continent and not export them to Europe and then bring a fraction back in the name of direct investment.
“So I think your government and President have the credit for attracting investment and creating an enabling environment.”
Oshiomhole said African countries should have policies that are predictable, stable and some coherence in our industrial policies by focusing more on attracting people to produce rather than exporting and that such practice underlined the achievement of the Dangote group.
He touted the achievements of his administration, explaining how as a former labor leader and now as Governor, he has been able bring unparalleled development to the state and how he has introduced worker-friendly policies in the state.
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