As at today, it has not affected manufacturers but like every other thing, I am sure it will get to us.

You see, one way that it will affect us is that the banks are no longer giving the needed financial help to the manufacturers. They are no longer forthcoming and I am sure it will sure get to the manufacturers.

I think what the government should do is that they should not only talk about oil and bank. They should look into manufacturing, provide employment and allocate finance to the local companies. So that manufacturers can have access to better finance and as such give quality product to the consumers, at least it will ensure a better health condition to Nigerians.

Do they prefer imported goods because they are cheaper or better?

I will talk about flour mills that I am sure of.

As long as I am concerned, flour mills has the best quality of products in the country.

The quality of our pasta, like macaroni, Spaghetti and others is the best.

You cannot get anything better than these in any part of the world.

Our cement factory also offers a good quality.

Infact, we give the best quality products and the best customer services.

Apart form that, manufacturing is very very difficult in Nigeria.

There is no encouragement on the part of infrastructure.

We do not have water and we do not have power supply. And some times, the imported goods are cheaper due to the high cost of production.

The Infrastructure which is the basic thing is not in any way experienced.

The Oversea manufacturers have all these thing available for them even as their power supply is from the public.

Here, we consume 90,000 litres of diesel every day when we are not on PHCN

We have our own water supply and those things which boost production are not there.

Yet, I can boldly say that some Nigerians who attach value to quality still patronize us even if our products are expensive than imported goods.

At least, they are sure of the make and the quality.

Well, I think we are given the administration time to settle down. We still have high hope that things will come up positively but for now, what we are seeing is not in the best interest of the manufacturers.

If government is not protecting some of the things that should be protected, things wont fall in place and it will affect every citizen. The local factories should be encouraged.

Like here, we have to add vitamin A and little percentage of Cassava and this has encouraged Nigerians to go back into agriculture. We have taken some Nigerians back into the farm, at least, to make good use of that gift God has given us.

We encourage research institutions and some time ago, Cassava farmers were given some money to produce better specie of cassava to make good flour.

If better species are not produced, bakers will prefer to buy flours which do not have cassava and this flours are imported.

The foreign companies are patronised while the indigenous factories are winding up. Does it help the country’s economy in any way.

Government is trying to raise money from import duties, they should also consider the plight and the welfare of the citizens which should be the priority. The welfare of Nigerians is very important and it is a dividend of a democratic government.

We have written to the government and we believe they will answer us.

They should protect the manufacturers by removing the high import duties and also regulate the cost of raw materials. Then food will be cheaper and the citizens will be employed.

Sometimes, something has to give way for the other.

I come here every morning and leave in the evening, at least to stay with my wife and children.

They are not complaining of being denied attention and that means I am still coping.

Yes. I relax when I am with my family, when I am in my home.

I am not an old boy of that college but the school is very dear to us especially those of as coming from that part of the country.

I believe the award is for the indelible contributions that I have made towards education in the country as they rightly said.

I would say that the honour came from the blues because I was not expecting it, and I want to thank them because I never knew they have been monitoring my programmes.

Methodist College Uzoakoli is one of the foremost colleges in the country which most of us longed to attend. I hope the old boys will restore the dignity of that institution. I wish they will continue to do exploit in that school that has produced prominent Nigerians. The old boys have prominent people from every part of the country, so they should call their friends to help put back the dilapidated structures.