Minister charges operators on local production

The Minister for Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, has charged local manufacturers to up the ante in local production to help improve the fortune of the nation’s trade and foreign exchange reserves.

The Minister believed that local firms in the country have the manpower, state-of-the-art equipment for production that can restore the nation’s dwindling currency, stressing that all that is needed is to explore the opportunities.

Adamu stated this in Port Harcourt yesterday, during a facility tour of the Solewant Group of companies for a possible partnership for availability of sufficient and clean water for the citizens.

Represented by the Director of the Ministry, Ayok Idi- Nsa, the minister disclosed that the ministry has been expecting quality water production for long but expressed delight that the firm was able to deliver quality pipes for water facilities in the industry.

He said: “All we have seen here, with the explanations from the quality control unit are satisfying, and we are going to make our objective recommendations to ensure that the local companies and those in the water sector, make ‘Solewant’ the sole producers of pipes for water facilities, because their products are quite qualitative. Their productions are such that they can stand the test of time in Nigeria today.”

Earlier, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Solewant, Solomon Ewanehi, disclosed that the Federal Government agencies had selected the firm and given it the mandate, opportunity and platform to continue working with the aim of ensuring wealth creation and reduction of unemployment in the country.

He said the firm has been collaborating with its international equipment-manufacturing partners from Canada, Netherlands and China to achieve the feat.

He cited low patronage, costs, funds as part of its challenges, noting that the company has already invested more than $50 million and still plans to inject additional $150m to its production businesses.