Stakeholders have thrown their full support behind the Bill seeking to amend the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) Act 2022 during a public hearing organized by the Senate Committee on Science and Technology in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Bill, conceptualized by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and sponsored by Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, aims to ensure the processing of raw materials in Nigeria before they are exported.
During the hearing, key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Solid Minerals, the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), expressed strong support for the Bill, calling for its swift passage.
Representatives of these organizations described the amendment as a game-changer for Nigeria’s economy, emphasizing that it would stop the export of jobs and wealth to foreign countries and instead create economic opportunities within Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of RMRDC, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike Muonso, hailed the overwhelming support for the Bill, stating that its passage would transform Nigeria’s economy by ensuring value addition to raw materials before exportation.
“Today is my happiest day with the 100% support the amendment bill got from various stakeholders,” he said.
In his closing remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Iya Abbas, noted that since no opposition was recorded against the proposed amendment, the committee would submit its report to the Senate for final consideration and passage as soon as possible.
