The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Industrialists

  • Ogun disburses N100m to small-scale industrialists

    Ogun disburses N100m to small-scale industrialists

    The Ogun State government has disbursed N100 million to 800 business owners and traders.

    The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Bimbo Ashiru, disbursed the loan to the beneficiaries through cheques in Abeokuta, the state capital, recently.

    In a similar move, the government had last year disbursed N13 million to some small-scale industrialists and traders operating in the state. The money was given to the beneficiaries as loans with very low interest rate.

    The loan scheme was initiated by the government in conjunction with the Bank of Industry (BoI).

    The Commissioner said the initiative was the government’s contribution to boost small-scale business as well as reduce the increasing rate of unemployment.

    “The government’s aim is to empower our traders and business owners to sustain their businesses,” Ashiru stated at the ceremony.

    He disclosed that the N100 million was disbursed to the beneficiaries through various registered co-operative societies in the state.

    According to Ashiru, the government was not happy that about 99 percent of small scale business owners get their business capital from their family members or friends with high interest rates under strict conditions, a situation which he said did not encourage business to thrive.

    The commissioner expressed the belief that the scheme would assist to check the rising unemployment rate, explaining that the loan would put the beneficiaries in a position to create “direct and indirect jobs” for about 100, 000 people by the middle of this year.

    Ashiru who was excited about the scheme stated: “We have started industrial revolution in our state.”

    Ashiru advised the beneficiaries not to see the loan as part of the “national cake” but must ensure that they pay the loans “as at when due” so that others too would benefit.

    Mr. Oluwole Kolawole, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the government for the “kind gesture” and pledged that they would use the loan for the purpose for which it was obtained.

    Kolawole also commended the government for its performance in office and promised that they would support the government at all times.

  • Fashola, Amosun, others commend women industrialists

    The first lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Dame Emmanuella Fashola and her counterpart from Ogun, Mrs Olufunsho Amosun have hailed women industrialists for their contribution to the economic growth and development in the country at the 2013 Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs Exhibition (NIWEX) in Lagos.

    Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun while speaking on theme of the conference: “Women in Business: Challenges and prospects” urged women to be up and doing in any environment they find themselves. She commended the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA) Women Group (NAWORG) for not only promoting entrepreneurship among women but also for laying legacy for others to emulate. She enjoined them to continue to be homemakers adding that women should discover their passion and begin something worthwhile regardless of the size and without conflicting their spouses’ interest.

    She said: “a lot of people think it takes a lot of capital to start a business but my motto is where there is a will, there is a way. If you have the burning desire to have something worthwhile doing, then you do not have to disrespect or disregard your husband’s will. Businesses like beading necklaces, clothes are things you can do from home.”

    Amosun challenged the executives of NIWORG to shift the venue of 2014 Exhibition to Ogun State. She said: “I will like to throw a challenge to them that I have been attending NIWEX in Lagos in the Teslim Balogun Stadium but I wonder why the next NIWEX cannot be held in Ogun State as I would love to host women in enterprise as NIWEX stands for.”

    In her remarks Mrs. Fashola said the influx of women in entrepreneurship will highly boost the country’s economy. “It is a wakeup call for women who are yet to discover themselves to find something doing, empower themselves. I also thank you for encouraging the younger ones so that we will have a lot of women entrepreneurs within our society. When we have a lot of women entrepreneurs in our society, the country will be richer.” She said.

    The President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar represented by the National Vice President of NACCIMA, Alhaji Sanusi Ajiya enjoined governments at all levels to provide women in business particularly SMEs with enabling policy measures, programmes and incentives which can make them thrive in business. Abubakar also saluted the vigor by the Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs, NAWORG on repositioning the economy through new business opportunities and networking despite the negative effects of the global economic on businesses. Ajiya promised that the expo will by next year elevate into an African Exhibition as African Union will support it.

    The women exhibitors showcased their prowess with display of products like Ankara, Kampala, Aso-Oke, hand-made Ankara bags, shoes, herbal medicines, beads, jewelleries and host of others. The Chairperson of NAWORG, Iyalode Alaba Lawson praised women entrepreneurs who have managed to hold their own even in this unhealthy business climate. She urged the government to give women the necessary support needed to run their businesses as they have proven to be good business managers.

  • Industrialists condemn adelays

    TThe delays at the Apapa Lagos port in Lagos since the takeover of scanning by Global Scan Systems Limited (GSSL) are affecting members of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the group has said.

    LCCI said its members now pay huge amounts as demurrage with the attendant implications on the cost of borrowed funds, production schedules and inability to meet contractual timelimes, among others.

    Its Director-General, Mr Muda Yusuf, told reporters in Lagos that the chamber was worried over the complaints of its members about the challenges the destination inspectors at the port pose to their businesses.

    “Our members are complaining of the very serious congestion that has resulted from the change in the inspection agents at the port. Clearly, the new company that has taken over does not have the capacity that the previous company has, that is now comparing Cotecna with Global Scan, and this is taking quite a very serious toll on businesses. People are complaining about demurrage which they have to pay and this has implications for cost.

    “They are complaining about speed of delivery to factories – raw materials and things that have been stuck in the port. They are complaining also about the cost of fund because most of these cargos are brought in through borrowed funds and the longer they stay at the port the more interest you have to pay to the bank. So, from all angles it is really a very unfortunate situation,” Yusuf said.

    Yusuf expressed disappointment in the Minister of Finance for favoring the move for Global Scan to take over from Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited despite the resulting odds against port reforms.

    “It came to us as a surprise that Finance Minister who we see as a champion of the reform of the port has issued the directive that Global Scan should take over from Cotecna.

    “We don’t have anything against any organization but for a strategic port such as the Apapa Port what should be paramount is the capacity to deliver in the choice of any agent that take the role of inspection agents or even any role for that matter in that port.

    The port is too strategic for any government or any person to be using as a platform for patronage because the implication for the economy is quite enormous,” he said.

    But speaking with The Nation, the image maker of ClobalScansystems, Mr Adile Iroajugh said the company is doing its best to facilitate trade at the port.

    He said the scanner they are working with was handed over to them by Cotecna and that they have scanned over 2,200 containers since the site was handed over to them few weeks ago.

    He said, his company is also working on the scanner to make it more effective and boost cargo clearance at the port.

     

  • Industrialists condemn ports reforms

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has said some port reforms ports are affecting their operations.

    The Chairman of MAN for Kwara and Kogi states, Mrs Omolola Olabayo, said in Ilorin: “The reforms at the port are giving us problems. Our raw materials are not cleared on time and we pay more money on import duties,’’ Olabayo said.

    She said the reforms were being implemented unannounced, adding that the association had lodged its complaints about them.

    “I don’t think from the government policies that are being implemented, they really understand what manufacturing companies stand for,’’ she added.

    Mrs Olabayo urged Nigeria to borrow a leaf from China where manufacturers were granted tax waiver for five years.

    “We can’t remain giants as long as we depend on other countries for our needs, especially on manufactured goods.’’

    Meanwhile, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said only five per cent of locally manufactured goods do not meet the required standards and specifications.

    Its Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, said at a forum that the few instances of non-compliance were traced to mistakes and not necessarily deliberate attempts to shortchange consumers.

    He said: “When we did a survey on the quality of products in Nigeria, we found out that only five per cent of products made in Nigeria did not meet specifications.

    “Most of the statistics of sub-standard products were contributed by imported products. We discovered that the five per cent mark was not a result of deliberate adulteration. Some of them were as a result of mistakes in the manufacturing process, which you can control over time.”

    Explaining why despite the degree of compliance with standards, indigeneous goods do not command patronage abroad, the SON boss said made-in-Nigeria goods lack accreditation, which is a major requirement in many countries.

    “One, there is the issue of lack of accreditation in Nigeria, but, more importantly, also there is the issue of infrastructure in Nigeria. The issue of power, roads and others. Nigeria, at the last count is about 40 per cent at a disadvantage. I’m actually quoting the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s numbers, which says that if you want to manufacture a product in Nigeria and manufacture the same products in place, such as India, the cost in Nigeria will be about 50 per cent higher. So, how are you going to compete in international market when you have, one, a higher cost structure, and at the end of the day, those people also enjoy export incentives?

    “This is what gave rise to dumping and it is an issue from country to country and at the end of the day, how can a Nigerian manufacturer compete in international market? That’s where the dilemma is and that is why we are working hard to ensure things are done well. Even the president is focusing on power and by the end of this year, we are looking at 10,000 megawatts that clearly will ensure that industry develops,” he said.