FG sets up ministerial council on industrial sector problems

The Federal Government has set up a Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council committee to address bottlenecks affecting smooth operations the Nigerian industrial sector.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr Okechukwu Enalamah, who made this revelation stakeholder in Lagos yesterday, said it was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address issues affecting the economy generally, and industrialists particularly.

He said the administration was genuinely interested in making life better for Nigerians and did not want to engage in mere rhetoric, but implement policies which would bring these about.

According to him, the ministry was also exploring partnership opportunities with the private sector to make possible a harnessing of all available opportunities.

Enelamah, who was joined at the event by some heads of parastatal under the ministry, called for contribution from the stakeholders so that the germane problems of the industrial sector would be tackled.

He said the current government was not a passive one but a government that is active in doing what it is supposed to do.

In his words: “We are most interested in solving problems that can be solved because if such roles are not played, the private sector would be affected. So, the private sector is waiting for a government that is proactive in solving problems for them”.

He added: “We want to be practical. We want to be able to help operators, so we expect sincere contribution that would make this possible”, he urged.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Aminu Aliyu Bisalla who earlier addressed the gathering said the Federal Government was attaching much importance to the sector in realization that without industrialization the country would not be able to sustain a realistic economic prosperity which would stimulate increased industrial capacity utilization that would lead to job and wealth creation.

According to him, the government was aware of such problems as infrastructural deficiencies such as power, transportation as well as inability to access loans at single digit interest rates, dumping of substandard products and low patronage of locally produced products due to foreign products and other external shock.

He added: “This government is desirous of addressing these numerous challenges confronting the sector through its various initiatives and programmes such as the implementation of Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), a harmonization of quality infrastructure and certification, reforms in the power sector, reviewing that trade, industrial and investment policies”.

He said all such initiatives were geared to addressing challenges in the sector and stimulating growth.

He said these initiatives would not yield their expected dividend without the support and commitment of the Organised Private Sector (OPS).

He reiterated that the Federal Government would deepen the engagement with private sector operators and manufacturers, adding that the Ministry would soon roll out a Growth Plan for Industrialization and Investment in the country. ‘’Let us make a commitment to work with the government. We cannot afford to ignore the operators. This is why we take this engagement very seriously’’, Dr. Enelamah said.

In his remarks, the Acting Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr, Paul Angya said ‘’SON is a government service industry. We are developing capacities for conformity assessment of products. We will clean the environment of sub-standard products to enable our local industries to thrive’’.

He said that SON was providing great incentive to MAN in the area of SONCAP and factory monitoring to enhance products competiveness adding that the organisation would carry out capacity building for MSEs across the country to ensure their products meet standard stressing that SMEs is catalyst for any nation’s economy development

As for the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. John Udemba Jacobs, the forum was timely in view of the challenges especially recent monetary summersaults which further increased the problems faced by the manufacturing sector. He disclosed that MAN has been collaborating with the Raw Materials Development Council (RMDC) for the development of local raw materials for industrial use, adding that over-dependence on imported raw materials has been the bane of manufacturers over the years.

According to MAN boss, “Government has a lot to do to make resource-based industrialisation possible. When the economy wobbles, government intervenes, that has been the practice all over the world’’.

Jacob identified scarcity of foreign exchange (dollar) to procure raw materials and industrial tools & machines, lack of incentives, high taxation, VAT, infrastructural deficit, among others, as the issues that concern manufacturers.

To the President, National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Chief Bassey Udom, growing the economy is a task that must be done, adding that issues of job creation, employment generation, export promotion as well as industrial growth should not be handled with lip-service. He advised that the Federal Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment should hold similar interactive forum across the country, stating that ‘there is nothing Nigeria cannot do if we fix our economy’’’

The interactive forum was later divided into four groups for the purpose of reaping the fullest of ideas, suggestions and contributions of industry players.

Topics assigned to the different groups for discussions and resolutions included Identifying Support-Systems for Non-oil Exports, Non-oil exports: Prospects, Opportunities & Challenges, Creating friendly operating environment for industrial and business growth as well as the Role of SMEs in Growth & Development of Non-oil exports

Earlier in his address, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mallam Aminu Aliyu-Bisalla, stated that Government was desirous towards tackling the numerous challenges confronting the industrial sector through its various initiatives and programmes.

He enumerated some of the initiatives as the implementation of Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, Nigeria Enterprise Development, Harmonisation of Quality Infrastructure and Certification, Power sector reforms, reviews of Trade and Investment policies, Export Expansion Grant as well as improving ‘’Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

Aliyu-Bisalla, however, underscored the importance, support and commitment of the OPS in realising the Federal Government’s economic diversification programme a.k.a the Change Agenda.

A major highlight of the event was a breakout section that addressed the key challenges of the sector thus: Support System for Non oil export, non-oil export: challenges and opportunities, and ways and means of creating friendlier operating environment for industries and Role of SMEs in the growth and development of non-oil exports.