The Nation Newspaper

Tag: importation

  • Fed Govt arraigns five for ‘illegal’ arms importation, bribery

    THE Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) yesterday arraigned five men for bringing arms and ammunition into the country without authorisation.

    They were accused of illegally importing double barrel short-guns, pump action rifles and single barrel shotguns (firearms).

    Mahmud Hassan, Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Mathew Okoye (at large) and Salihu Danjuma were arraigned on nine counts of conspiracy to illegally import prohibited firearms, uttering of forged documents, bribery and importation of prohibited goods.

    Count one of the charge said the defendants “on or about January 21, 2017, at Apapa, Lagos conspired together to illegally import into Nigeria 661 pump actions rifles”.

    The defendants, who were arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji at the Federal High Court in Lagos, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

    The prosecution said they brought the arms from Turkey through the Apapa Port in Lagos, using a 40-feet container, which they falsely claimed contained steel doors.

    The Federal Government said the defendants violated Section 98A (1)(b) of the Criminal Code Act by corruptly offering bribe to public officials on two occasions.

    It said Hassan offered N400,000 to Federal Operative Unit’s Examination Officers on January 21 at Apapa to prevent “100 per cent search” of the 40 feet container numbered PONU 825914/3, which they knew contained prohibited goods.

    The prosecution said Hassan, on the same day, ”corruptly gave the sum of N1million to government officials at the Apapa Port through one Danjuma Abdullahi in order to prevent search of your container by Customs officials, which you knew contained 661 illegally imported pump actions rifles”.

    The defendants allegedly forged  documents, such as a bill of lading, a Form M and a Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, in a bid to deceive the officials.

    According to the prosecution, to evade payment of Customs duty, the accused allegedly forged a bill of lading issued at Istanbul on January 9, 2017, claiming it was issued in Shanghai, China.

    The Federal Government also alleged that the defendants “illegally imported into Nigeria double barrel shotguns, pump action rifles and single barrel shotguns (firearms) between 2012 and 2016)”.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 1(2)(c), 1(14) (a)(i) and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.

    Justice Faji ordered that the defendants be remanded in the prison and adjourned till September 12 for trial.

  • Pharmacists seek end to drug importation

    Pharmacists seek end to drug importation

    A call has been made for an end  to drug importation. Besides, government  has been urged to provide  an enabling environment for pharmacists to practise their trade. These were the demands  of participants at a worshop  at the 20th Annual Conference of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria at the Ball Room of the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja. It was a departure from the norm. The meeting advocated a shift from 70:30 ratios in importation/manufacturing in pharmaceutical products to 30:70 indigenous manufacturing/importation.

    Under the theme: ‘Growing the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry for greater economic impact’, the  gathering explored how the sector could move from near collapse to vibrancy.

    Taking the bull by the horn, the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Alhaji Ahmed Yakassai said government should provide the enabling environment for pharmacists to practise  their profession, “it has been sundry said at different fora that PSN is the leading highly organised professional body in Nigeria. We have professional pharmacists whose products have even been accepted by the World health organisation when it comes to navel care of a new born baby. But the environment is not friendly at all for one to practise maximally.”

    Citing an example, Yakassai said the vaccine manufacturing plant lying fallow at the medical Compound, Yaba, Lagos, is a big waste, “when there are professional pharmacists across the country that can work there to produce vaccine for the optimal use in the western African region.

    “The company that is bidding for its operation had been on it for over a decade, yet the government is not letting go. It is high time government trusted us indigenous pharmacists in having a meaningful and robust public-Private-partnership.”

    The key note speaker, CEO, Business School Netherland, Nigeria, Lere Bale said the summary is for teaching curriculum to be redesigned to meet with modern exigencies in pharmacy practice saying, “a pharmacist right from school should be trained in entrepreneurship. Nothing stops a pharmacist in collaborating by fusing his energy with others to create a product from the raw materials available in our society.  China, Japan and even Ghana are moving up in their drug demands and supply by tapping into the raw materials they have in their countries. You may call those natural products neutriceuticals but it is healing their societies. Nigeria is richer in flora and fauna, it is high time we looked inward.”

    He said educational structure should be planned to marry academia with industry so as to activate production of the bulk materials, “we may rename it Green pharmacy, and this can thrive on collaboration. So the tripod will be balanced- Academia, industry and government,” said Bale.

    Gbenga Falabi, the Chairman, NAIP, said pharmacists are trained to solve problems and the time is now for them  to dissect the Federal Government national policy so as to create a positive attrition for prosperity for Nigerians, leading to significant growth of the Nigerian pharmacy industry.

    “As experts we called on pharmacists to stop importing finished pharmaceutical products and marketing same in the country, such an action kills innovation and skill involved in the compounding of formulas to solve health challenges. Moreso, they are unduly expensive due to FOREX. We want to rescue our country, profession and healthcare system,” said Falabi.

    The chairman, Conference Planning Committee, Michael Heavens, said at the moment the local manufacturing arm of the industry’s output is 30 percent of all medicine being distributed in Nigeria while pharmaceutical imports account for about 70 percent, “We are no longer comfortable with that. We need to quickly arrest this or else the future of industrial pharmacists will go down the drain. This is what informed the decision of the association’s theme, for this 20th Annual National Conference.  Research and development are the life source of the pharma industry and we want to encourage our colleagues, especially the marketers to move from outsourcing of drugs overseas to local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.”

    Heavens added: “This transition, in our assessment could be the country’s pharma industry most significant contribution to inclusive growth, employment generation, and wealth creation in the country. The quick intervention of life-saving drugs in critical situations may mean the difference between life and death. And the local capacity to produce such is already established, however scaling up in capacity is the new challenge International Finance Corporation is coming to discuss at the conference with the need to begin to incentivise local production by government. We the pharmacists are saying the country cannot continue to rely on importation; rather it is high time, as experts, that self-sufficiency is attained.”

  • ‘Nigeria saves $5m daily from ban on wheat importation’

    The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s policy on the ban of importation of rice and wheat has enabled the country to save $5 million daily.

    Ogbeh  spoke in Garun Baba Village in Kano during the 2017 Wheat Farm Harvest ceremony.

    He said: “The tariff increase introduced in December last year saw the import duty on rice increased from 10 to 60 percent in an effort to increase local production of the product.”

    Ogbeh added that the policy option had created wealth for farmers and those in the farm produce value chain.

    “The rice you grow, the wheat you grow is saving Nigeria a lot of money. Before now we were spending $5 million a day importing rice from Thailand. Now that money is in the hands and pockets of farmers in Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi and other parts of the country.

    “That is why farmers are getting richer, before now the money was going to some other places and the poverty was coming here, that era is gone,” he noted.

    He said the figure represented the amount of money being spent on the importation of those farm produce before the ban and tariff increase policies were introduced about a year ago.

    Ogbeh commended Kano State Government and farmers for the rice, saying it has expelled recession from the state and supplied food to needy states.

    ‘’I’m proud of you and thank you for all your effort. I know if we give you the right support as we are trying to do, you can feed the whole nation and there will be no hunger in Nigeria,” he added.

    He said further production was being encouraged through reduction of fertiliser price to N6,000 a bag by the government via an arrangement with the Moroccan Government.

    On herdsmen/farmers’ clashes and cattle rustling, the minister said grazing reserves were being created across the federation, with accommodation, human and veterinary clinics, water and schools, among others, to stop herdsmen from roaming about.

    “Similarly, the good news is that 3,000 Civil Defence operatives are being trained by the Nigeria Army to combat issues of cattle rustling perpetrated on those rearing cattle by hoodlums,” he noted.

    On the occasion, the Governor , Dr. Abdulahi Umar Ganduje, said the wheat being harvested was a by-product of a N100 million interest-free loan extended to 10,000 farmers in the state late last year.

    He said the farmers were also given moratorium not to pay the loan immediately so that they could re-invest the money in their farms as well as introduce new measures on harvest and post harvest.

    “To prevent post-harvest losses, the state government has made available the sum of N50 million naira as loan for them to tap into and meet their immediate needs in order to stop them from selling the wheat product at low price,” Ganduje said.

    He said combined harvester machines have been provided to ease the process of harvesting the wheat, adding that warehouses and stores have been provided in various parts of the state for the farmers to store their products till the point of sales free of charge, adding that “wheat millers and sellers will be mobilised to buy the produce when farmers are ready to sell.”

  • Nigeria spends $3.5b yearly on steel importation

    Nigeria spends $3.5b yearly on steel importation

    Nigeria spends over $3.5billion yearly on the importation of steel products, Mines and Steel Development Minister Dr Kayode Fayemi has said.

    He told reporters after a town hall meeting with players in the industry in Lagos yesterday that as a result of the huge spending on steel importation, the Federal Government resolved to make the Ajaokuta Steel Company work by privatising. This, said Dr Fayemi, will save the nation the huge foreign exchange and job export.

    As a demonstration of the government’s seriousness, Fayemi said the expression of interest (EoI) by investors, who want to acquire the steel company, will open in six months time.

    “The steel industry still remains the backbone of industrialisation in any country. Any country that wants to make headway in manufacturing and industrialisation must pay particular attention to steel development.

    “In Nigeria, we utilise about 7 million metric tons of steel on annual basis and we produce less than 3million tons and from scrap mainly. And even the scrap is being depleted now; so we run the risk of depending almost solely on importation. We spend over $3.5 billion importing steel products into Nigeria annually; you can see the opportunity cost and the importance of ensuring that Ajaokuta comes on stream. That’s why government has been determined to ensure that the litigation around it was resolved and we can put it to those who have the technical knowledge and financial capacity to intervene and bring it to life in a manner that liquid steel can be produced from our own iron ore endowment in the country. Then the liquid steel will be made available to rolling mills across the length and breadth of Nigeria to use for direct steel production rather than depending on scrap metals.

    “The timeline for the Expression of Interest (EoI) will happen in the next six months. I’m not saying we are bringing it to life in the next six month but the process of those who have an interest in coming to put Ajaokuta into practical use within the period I mentioned. We have had a number of players both local and foreign that have shown interest.

  • ‘Ban on vehicle importation through land borders ’ll not succeed’

    The Federal Government should reconsider its policy banning importation of vehicles through the land borders, as the policy will not be successful, the National President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) Mr. Lucky Amiwero has said.

    Speaking on a radio programme in Lagos, he said there was need for the government to properly look into the implementation of the policy as, according to him, “it lacks some ingredients that will make a successful regime”.

    Amiwero said the government should extend the deadline for importers whose vehicles are currently trapped at the border posts, pointing out that the notice it gave on the new policy was too short.

    According to him, many importers had placed orders before the directive was announced.

    The NCMDLCA chief also said the government’s action was against international convention, which places high consideration for grace period when a major policy is to be taken.

    “The implementation should be properly looked into because it lacks some ingredients that will make a successful regime. The policy is a major decision, but the time is very short.

    “All the border posts are entry points, so, the government must give enough time if it wants to implement any policy. That is not how it is done internationally,” Amiwero stated.

    He urged the government to extend the deadline because “we are not in a military era”.

    “The cars cannot just remain there; they are Nigeria’s assets. These vehicles are not smuggled, but were imported legally as authorised by the government under the Federal Government import regime,” he said.

    Their importation, he said, was done after the import duty was assessed and paid into Federal Government’s account legally. “So, they (importers) should be made to pay duty and clear these vehicles,” he added.

    Amiwero pointed out that vessels coming from China and other places can take six months before arriving, noting that the policy will be a threat to Customs officers except the government tackles the issue of tariff on vehicles, as the rate of smuggling will increase.

    He called on the government to set up a committee to holistically look at the auto policy and review it as it had not impacted positively on Nigerians. “The government should make sure the ban will not create revenue for other countries by reviewing its tariff and also look at the auto policy holistically and review it,” he said.

    Amiwero expressed doubt if a common Nigeria could buy those vehicles that are said to be manufactured in Nigeria. “They must tackle the issue at our ports where duties are collected. It is going to be a threat to Customs officers and we are going to lose a lot of revenue if we don’t put in the right perspective,” he said.

  • Nigeria loses N15bn annually from importation of processed tomato

    Nigeria loses N15bn annually from importation of processed tomato

    Nigeria is losing over N15 billion annually to importation of processed tomato, Alhaji Bello Abubakar, Deputy Director, Procurement at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) Zaria, has said.
    Abubakar spoke yesterday during the bidding of 2017 projects, held at NARICT in Basawa, Zaria, Kaduna State.
    He said the projects being bidded for included physical structure of two tomato companies at Jigawa and Yobe states, supply of fabrication (factory equipment) and construction of green house at Jigawa State.
    “Nigeria is the leading producer of tomato in Africa and 13th in the world, yet the country is importing over 66 million tonnes of processed tomato, valued at over N15 billion annually, according CBN report.”
    Abubakar said in its effort to reduce the huge amount lost annually from importation of processed tomato, NARICT had invented and developed tomato processing technology.
    He appealed to governments at all levels, private organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to patronise the product to boost tomato cultivation and improve the production capacity of the institute.
    He lauded the efforts of Sen. Mohammed Ubali-Shittu, representing Jigawa North-East Senatorial District and Rep. Sama’ila Gadaka, representing Fune/Fika Federal Constituency of Jigawa for attracting such giant projects to their constituencies.
    Opening the bid earlier, Alhaji Muktar Umar-Ahmed, one of the senior personnel at the institute, said five companies bidded for the projects.
    He listed the companies to include Beam System Limited, Attajiri Global Limited, Ngurno Investment Limited, AMST Shukrullah Limited and Gen-Tech. Power Supply Nigeria Limited.
    Umar-Ahmed said the essence of inviting different categories of personalities to witness the bid opening was to ensure transparency, accountability and to comply with Procurement Act.

  • Reps to Buhari: suspend ban on cars importation via land borders

    Reps to Buhari: suspend ban on cars importation via land borders

    The House of Representatives yesterday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the ban on importation of new and used cars through land borders.

    The ban that was announced on  December 5 by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) was due to take effect from January 1, next year.

    The lawmakers however said the policy was too harsh as it is bound to pile more economic  miseries on the majority of Nigerians that are already groaning under the prevailing economic recession.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Abdulahi Salame (APC, Sokoto) who noted that the percentage of Nigerians who can afford cars has declined drastically following the decline in the value of the naira, inflation, unemployment and high cost of living that have bedeviled Nigeria where over 80 per cent of the population live below $200 a day.

    He said: “With its powers under Section 18 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, the government can restrict the movement of goods into and out of Nigeria by land or inland waters and to appoint customs stations, but similar exercise of such powers on rice importation through the land borders in April 2016, has led to untold hardships on Nigerians as a bag of rice now sells for between N20,000 and N23,000  as against N8,000 few months ago.

    “We are also aware that the government has not put in place alternative measures to ensure that Nigerians will have access to cars since it is cheaper to buy cars from neighbouring countries and still generate revenue by ensuring that our borders are secured to prevent smuggling and also that there will not be job losses.

    “Some of those making these policies have failed to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods, especially Nigerian assembled vehicles which are, in any case unaffordable to over 80 per cent of Nigerians who can only afford fairly used imported cars.

    “It is of concern that despite the pitiable state of most Nigerians occasioned by unemployment, lack of funds for survival and high cost of living which has sent many to their early graves, the government is adopting a policy that will further increase the sufferings of the masses at this critical time the country is in recession.

    “It is eqaully worrisome that the ban will cause more harm than good as it will certainly lead to increase in smuggling, deprive poor Nigerians of access to acquiring vehicles, skyrocket the price of cars cleared at wharf, increase inflation and further mount pressure on the already weak naira and lead to idleness, insecurity and criminality at the border posts.”

    Lawmakers that spoke in favour of the motion noted that it is the masses that would be affected more by the new policy.

    According to them, the reason put forward about  payment of duties was not enough to punish the entire country because non-payment of duties was carried out with the active connivance of security officials at the borders.

  • Crude importation from Niger?

    SIR: There is no doubt the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) led administration is on a uphill mission against militants who are taking down oil installations in the oil rich South-south. With the global oil price crash, glut, escalating dollar strength against the naira and yawning reality of plundered economy, PMB and his lieutenants in the business of managing a challenged should attract pity. Sadly, some decisions taken by these lieutenants are puerile and without direction.

    One of them is the planned construction of 1000km pipeline from Agadem in Niger Republic to Kaduna refinery.

    Hear Ndu Nghamaduon, Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division NNPC: “Due to challenges with the aged refinery and crude oil pipelines that had been breached severally, the operations of the refinery have been epileptic. This, we are determined to resolve through various intervention methods including evaluation of alternative crude oil supply from Niger Republic through building of a pipelines of over 1, 000 kilometres from Agadem to Kaduna.”

    The wisdom behind connecting crude from Niger Republic is still fussy and for now makes no sense to me. Let’s assume government is going to trade refined petroleum products for their crude and no cash exchange involved, how long will that kind of agreement last? Has anyone thought of the amount of money the project will gulp in this hard time or what that kind of money will do in strengthening the oil sector?

    If vandalization and age-induced rot has affected the pipelines carrying crude form Escravos- Warri to Kaduna, wouldn’t it be cheaper to fix the pipelines, get security operatives, acquire surveillance drones to secure a hitch free flow of crude in terms of retaining national asset, product ownership than the planned perpetual importation? I am very sure other pipeline routes across the country are in need of repairs, is Federal Government going to construct new lines from contiguous countries producing crude?

    About the continuous bombing of oil installations in the Niger Delta, I have opined on several occasions that it is the hand work of past corrupt Nigerians either to distract the present administration or force them to abandon the on-going fight against corruption. My take however is that it is time for government to scale up non-violent actions to end the impasse.

    We must wake up to the realization that even the good intentions of PMB alone cannot take Nigeria anywhere except with the cooperation of people with right thinking mental process to galvanize the economy. We must also realize that continuous hailing under our evolving circumstance can never has never helped any government. It is indeed time to offer patriotic criticism.

    We must think properly to get the ship of nation out of the present economic Tsunami. Already we are on economic ring of fire where all manner of disasters keep bashing the already battered economy of a country well-endowed with human and natural resources. We must wear our thinking cap to realize that whatever plans with Niger Republic on the crude export can never be like maintaining our own oil installations/facilities.

     

    • Israel A. Ebije

    ebijeo5@gmail.com

  • ‘Unregulated importation undermines local investment’

    ‘Unregulated importation undermines local investment’

    Mr Piyush Nair is Managing Director, Bayswater Industries Limited, producers of Mr. Chef Beef and Chicken seasoning cubes as well as other seasoning powders. In this interview with Tonia ‘Diyan, he speaks on the state of the  economy and its impact on the shopping habits of consumers.

     

    With the recession, the disposable income of consumers has shrunk, leading to an adjustment in spending. What is Mr. Chef doing to maintain patronage?

    True, the times are quite challenging for all manufacturing organisations, particularly with the inability to source foreign exchange (FOREX) for import purposes to accelerate local production. With the sharp drop in production, there have been job losses and other consequences. But there is still opportunity for growth if the government supports aggressive production rather than encourage consumption.

    For more than 40 years, customers have been loyal to our products because over the years,  Mr. Chef Beef and Chicken seasoning cubes have maintained consistency in quality regardless of the state of the economy. We are very happy about this, particularly because it has also helped us to remain a partner in government’s efforts to turn the economy around.

    Can you be more specific?

    As a major producer of seasoning cubes and powdered seasoning, our key objective is to be an indispensable kitchen companion that would make the cooking experience of our customers both inexpensive and a great delight. During the recent period of scarcity and high cost of tomatoes and other condiments, for example, our customers did not have to struggle to make great and tasty meals because our brands were and are always in season. Mr. Chef easily filled the gap. Our products like tomato seasoning powder and cubes; ginger; onion; garlic powder; jollof/fried rice seasoning mix; Ata rodo pepper as well as mom’s pride chicken and beef cubes and classic beef and chicken seasoning powder, to mention a few, easily filled the gap for consumers.

    What informed the launch of your latest product, Choco Love?

    Broadly, Choco Love is a nourishing cocoa beverage drink formulated to promote the sharing of family love. This, in itself, makes Mr. Chef different from other brands in the market because we always aspire to put the family first. Choco Love is produced to conform to the African concept of ‘family’, which revolves around sharing love and unleashing the confidence within each individual. This concept recognises that the family does not necessarily refer to bloodlines, but also to the humanity that we all share.

    What is your assessment of the environment where you operate?

    Producers of fast-moving commodity goods (FMCGs) will readily admit that the unregulated importation of substandard food seasoning is killing our market segment. These grey imports also constitute health hazards because many of these products are usually not certified by the authorities. This is a major problem not just for Mr. Chef, but for all producers. At the root of this problem is the fact that consumers tend to place cheap pricing ahead of other considerations. The importation of these unregulated goods also undermine the huge investment that we and other local producers have made in-the economy.

    So, what solutions would you proffer to deal with the problem?

    First, the government needs to encourage local producers to do more so that the economy can experience rapid transformation. With more local production, employment opportunities will open up and there will be more money in the pockets of citizens. It is a cycle that creates prosperity. This, however, will not happen if government does not help us to protect our heavy capital investments. Placing a ban on unwholesome imports to protect the health of the people as well as save our industry and the nation’s economy is an option that needs to be quickly considered.This is not anti-competition. On the contrary, doing this will create a level playing field for all producers. This, in turn, will make the operating environment sufficiently attractive to investors. It is high time everyone that believes in Nigeria demonstrated that love by making serious investment in the  economy as we have done.

  • ‘Unregulated importation undermines local investment’

    ‘Unregulated importation undermines local investment’

    mr Piyush Nair is Managing Director Bayswater Industries Limited, producers of Mr. Chef Beef and Chicken seasoning cubes as well as other seasoning powders. In this interview with Tonia ‘Diyan, Nair speaks on the state of the  economy vis-à-vis its impact on the shopping habits of consumers. 

    With the recession, the disposable income of consumers has shrunk, leading to an adjustment in spending. What is Mr. Chef doing to maintain customer patronage?

    True, the times are quite challenging for all manufacturing organisations, particularly with the inability to source foreign exchange (FOREX) for import purposes to accelerate local production. With the sharp drop in production, there have been job losses and other consequences. But there is still opportunity for growth if the government supports aggressive production rather than encourage consumption. For more than 40 years, customers have been loyal to our products because over the years,  Mr. Chef Beef and Chicken seasoning cubes have maintained consistency in quality regardless of the state of the economy. We are very happy about this, particularly because it has also helped us to remain a partner in government’s efforts to turn the economy around.

    Can you be more specific?

    As a major producer of seasoning cubes and powdered seasoning, our key objective is to be an indispensable kitchen companion that would make the cooking experience of our customers both inexpensive and a great delight. During the recent period of scarcity and high cost of tomatoes and other condiments, for example, our customers did not have to struggle to make great and tasty meals because our brands were and are always in season. Mr. Chef easily filled the gap. Our products like tomato seasoning powder and cubes; ginger onion garlic powder; jollof/fried rice seasoning mix; atarodo pepper as well as mom’s pride chicken and beef cubes and classic beef and chicken seasoning powder, to mention a few easily filled the gap for consumers.

    What informed the recent launch of your latest product, Choco Love?

    Broadly, Choco Love is a nourishing cocoa beverage drink that we formulated to promote the sharing of family love. This, in itself, makes Mr. Chef different from other brands in the market because we always aspire to put family first. Choco Love is produced to conform to the African concept of ‘family’ which revolves around sharing love and unleashing the confidence within each individual. This concept recognises that the family does not necessarily refer to bloodlines but also to the humanity that we all share.

    What is your assessment of the environment in which you operate?

    Producers of fast-moving commodity goods (FMCGs) will readily admit that the unregulated importation of substandard food seasoning is killing our market segment. These grey imports also constitute health hazards because many of these products are usually not certified by the authorities. This is a major problem not just for Mr. Chef but for all producers. At the root of this problem is the fact that consumers tend to place cheap pricing ahead of other considerations. The importation of these unregulated goods also undermine the huge investment that we and other local producers have made-in-the economy.

    So, what solutions would you proffer to deal with the problem?

    First, the government needs to encourage local producers to do more so that the economy can experience rapid transformation. With more local production, employment opportunities will open up and there will be more money in the pockets of citizens. It is a cycle that creates prosperity. This, however, will not happen if government does not help us to protect our heavy capital investments. Placing a ban on unwholesome imports to protect the health of the people as well as save our industry and the nation’s economy is an option that needs to be quickly considered.This is not anti-competition. On the contrary, doing this will create a level playing field for all producers. This, in turn, will make the operating environment sufficiently attractive to investors. It is high time everyone that believes in Nigeria demonstrated that love by making serious investment in the  economy as we have done.