The Group Managing Director of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Paul Gbededo, has lamented over the lack of proper infrastructure in Ogun State.
While speaking at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s forum with the Ogun State Governor-elect, Dapo Abiodun, Gbedebo said even though Ogun State is undeniably a major industrial hub in Nigeria, there is a dire need to support the efforts of the companies within the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) industrial estate.
Frustration over the deplorable state of the Agbara Road
According to Gbedebo, some companies operating within the OPIC area have been negotiating on how to reconstruct the Agbara/Atan Road. Gbedebo added that it has now become important for the Government to take the lead and ensure proper and timely completion of the project.
He also recommended collaboration between the Ogun and Lagos State Governments as well as the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, towards ensuring the extension and urgent completion of the reconstruction of the Lagos/Badagry Expressway.
“We cannot forget the issues of drainage channels within OPIC Estate. We need to address these to ensure that the roads do not revert to their poor state after they are rehabilitated during the raining seasons.” -Gbedebo
How Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit is killing manufacturers in the country
Manufacturing companies are faced with a lot of infrastructural challenges. Aside from access to uninterrupted power supply, bad roads and use of alternative power such as diesel generators can exorbitantly increase the cost of production by a magnitude. This, inevitably, discourages manufacturers.
Recall that in 2017, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) disclosed that not less than 75 manufacturing firms (from about 150 in its membership list in the South East region of the country), shut down over the last five years because of bad roads, poor infrastructure, and others problems.
About Flour Mills
Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc provides food, agricultural products, and services. Specifically, the company offers flour, noodles, pastas, oil & spreads, and sugar. It also offers animal feeds, fertilisers, and logistics & support services.
Its share price is currently trading at N16.85 on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.