Abuja – The Federal Government will soon
ban the importation of goods being
produced in Nigeria to reposition the
manufacturing sector, Dr Olusegun
Aganga, the Minister of Trade and
Investment, has said.
According to him, this is part of a deliberate
policy to protect local industries, boost their
productivity and create more job
opportunities for Nigerians.
Aganga disclosed this on Tuesday during
his facility visit to Innoson Vehicles
Manufacturing Plant and Innoson Industrial
Plastic Plant in Enugu and Anambra,
respectively.
He said that the new initiative was part of
the National Industrial Revolution Plan of the
Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.
Aganga said that it was aimed at
repositioning the manufacturing sector in
line with President Goodluck Jonathan's
Transformation Agenda.
"As a country, we have a large market
comprising 167 million people. We are the
gateway to ECOWAS, which are about 300
million people.
"What this means is that local patronage is
very important to us as a country, because
we must take advantage of our large
market to drive our Industrial Revolution
Plan.
"In fact, local patronage is key to President
Jonathan's Transformation Agenda because
it will help us to increase the productivity of
our local companies; reduce foreign
exchange spent on importation of goods
from other countries and create more jobs
for our people.
"Already, the president has directed us to
compile the list of goods produced by
Nigerian companies so that we will not
have reasons to import those things into
the country.
"We are going to do the same thing in the
states by adopting the same policy.
"I have already met with the Chairman of
Nnewi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry over this matter and they will
submit their list to me within the next one
week.
"Also, the Anambra State governor is doing
the same thing as well as the Manufacturers
Association of Nigeria''
He said that once the process was
completed, "nobody would be allowed to
import those things we produce into the
country, especially those items that we
have comparative and competitive
advantage.''
The minister also disclosed that the Federal
Government was planning to review the
country's public system to give more
opportunities to Nigerian companies in line
with his ministry's Industrial Revolution
Plan.
The minister said that Nigeria like other
countries across the world would have
preferential treatment for goods produced
in the country.
Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra, while receiving
the minister, said that the state government
would partner with the Ministry of Trade
and Investment to provide conducive
environment to fast-track industrialisation in
the state.
"Anambra has the highest concentration of
industries in Nigeria. So, we will work
together with the Ministry of Trade and
Investment to provide the conducive
environment to support industrialisation,"
Obi said.
Dr Innocent Chukwuma, the Chairman,
Innoson Group of Companies, said during
the facility tour, that the desire to create
jobs and make products more affordable
for Nigerians motivated him to set up four
manufacturing plants.
He said that the support he had so far
received from the Federal Government had
helped his company to expand his
operations.
Chukwuma said that Innoson Group
currently employed 7,000 Nigerians,
adding that it had plans to employ
additional 3,000 "when its new plant comes
on stream." (NAN)
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