The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OPS

  • OPS Forum to hold bi-annual ‘A Night with the President’ November 17

    OPS Forum to hold bi-annual ‘A Night with the President’ November 17

    The Orient Progressive Social Forum (OPSF) is set to host the third edition of its glamorous “A Night with the President.”

    The event will hold at Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi on November 17, according to the forum’s statement.

    OPSF said the event is a platform for influential entrepreneurs and professionals to network and discuss ambitious ideas that are poised to alter the developmental trajectory of the Southeast.

    During this year’s event, the forum said, the Orient Impact Programme, which is designed to uplift the less privileged in various Igbo communities, bring development to the rural areas, and building of human capacity, would be launched.

    Read Also: Edun defends FG’s key economic reforms

    The Orient impact programme is aimed at mentoring youths, reaching out to the poor and entrepreneurship empowerment scheme, instituting the Orient legacy scholarship fund, and youth InfoTech skill acquisition scheme, among others.

    In alignment with the core values of the forum and part of the initiative, the forum promised to give out food items to 50 families in Umuomaku community of Anambra State and cash gifts to a few teachers in the community.

    The OPSF represents bold initiatives led by socially innovative Igbo professionals, businessmen, and technocrats.

    It is a platform for social re-engineering with the aim of uniting millions of innovative Igbo entrepreneurs, professionals, intentional individuals, willing to create powerful and influential business network in all the critical spaces in the Nigeria economy.

  • OPS affirms support for inclusive economic growth

    OPS affirms support for inclusive economic growth

    The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) yesterday rose in support of the resolution of the protracted national minimum wage negotiation with a promise to continue to be a partner in efforts aimed at fostering inclusive economic development.

    The OPS commended President Bola Tinubu for putting to rest the protracted issue.

    The OPSN include the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI).

    Director General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the proposed support by the president to assist organised businesses in cushioning the impact of the wage increase should be announced immediately to enable businesses to plan effectively.

    According to him, while the president’s approval of the proposed new minimum wage is commendable, the ability to pay remains a fundamental consideration. 

    He noted that the OPS had strongly expressed concern about its ability to pay the N62,000 recommended by the Tripartite Committee.

    “The N62,000 was premised on the understanding and agreement by the government representatives that the government will take definite steps to reduce the current economic burden on the organised private sector.

    “The support requested included the reversal of the increase in electricity tariffs, CBN redemptions of all outstanding forwards for companies in the productive sector, a freeze on the introduction of new taxes and levies on businesses for the next five years, duty exemption on imported conversion kits and government subsidy on procurement of same, fixed rate of N800 for the assessment of import duty on all production inputs, revisit of the recent Financial Reporting Council regulation to curtail its application to private businesses, enforcement of the Executive Order 003 and 005 on Patronage of Made in Nigeria Product by Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government and the National Assembly and the discontinuation of the Price Verification Portal, as it is inimical to the smooth operation of businesses and the basis for setting it up no longer exist, among others,” Oyerinde said.

    Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, also urged the Federal Government to assist members of the OPS in the implementation of the approved N70,000.

    “This positive development is the outcome of further negotiations between government and labour, with the intervention of Mr. President.

    “So, one should consider that we have gotten to the end of the long-drawn negotiations and that going forward, we shall have accelerated conclusion of the issue of minimum wage,” Ajayi-Kadir said.

    He said MAN commended the president for achieving this breakthrough and looked forward to the promised assistance, noting that on the side of the private sector, they would hold on to the promise of the president that the government would find a way to assist the OPS to pay the minimum wage agreed with labour.

    “We had intimated the Committee the challenges confronting businesses in the private sector and that there was the need to ameliorate those challenges to improve the capacity of our members to pay the minimum wage that we offered.

    “We maintained that those binding constraints may constitute impediments to the full compliance of our members when the minimum wage is signed into law.

    “So, the assumption is that Mr. President will give expedited consideration to those challenges and take necessary steps to address them.”

  • Ogun, OPS to sign MoU on Olokola Deep Seaport

    Ogun, OPS to sign MoU on Olokola Deep Seaport

    The Ogun State Government and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) have concluded plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the construction of the Olokola Deep Seaport located in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state.

    Olokola deep seaport project was conceived by the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel and it was to be housed within the equally planned Olokola Free Trade Zone (OFTZ) scheme which was expected to serve as a multipurpose deep seaport facility and export processing zone but the two projects suffered delay.

    However, speaking during a breakfast meeting with Chief Executive Officers of the OPS in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Wednesday, Governor Dapo Abiodun revealed that State would soon sign the MoU on the Olokola Seaport project.

    Governor Abiodun noted that the construction of the Olokola seaport would provide another opportunity for companies in the state to move their goods and equipment in addition to the Gateway Agro-Cargo International Airport, which is almost on completion stage, and the planned Dry port to be located at Kajola, an outskirt of the state capital.

    Read Also; Why Lagos Country Club stands out, by president

    Prince Abiodun said: “I want to share with you the fact that whilst we are talking about our road, rail and air transport, we will be signing very soon a Memorandum of Understanding with the private sector players for the construction of our seaport in Olokola.

    “This is another giant step to ensure that we enable businesses to continue to thrive in our state.”

    The governor said that his administration is working towards putting an end to the multiplicity of taxes in the state, adding that the reforms already put in place by the Ogun State Inland Revenue Service would definitely put pay to the issue.

    He also urged businesses to patronize government whenever they are in need of land, saying that all land belonged to the government.

    “On the harmonization of taxes, we have put in a lot of reforms on our Inland Revenue Service.

    “Be rest assured, be patient with me, slowly and surely, we will remove all these multiplicities of taxes.

    “We are also concerned about our physical planning as well. The lands department and physical planning are now working collaboratively to ensure that all the problems we have had in the past are resolved.

    “All lands belong to the government. My advice to you is that if you want to buy land, come to the state. We have ensured that any land to be sold to you is properly enumerated and compensated.

    “So, please, I want to discourage all of us to desist from buying land from land speculators,” he said.

    Abiodun said that his administration would be distributing 5,000 Certificates of Occupancy (CofO) this Friday.

    According to him, the state is now at a vantage position to continue to issue out Certificate of Occupancy to subscribers with a newly acquired equipment that can sign 1000 CofOs daily.

    Abiodun called on the OPS in the state to give back to their various host communities by either taking advantage of the state government adopt a school or primary health care center project.

    The governor spoke on the importance of businesses imbibing the culture of  technology transfer, which would further assist the country to move forward technologically.

    He reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure steady and uninterrupted power supply soon through the Ogun Light Up Project.

    The governor noted that his administration deliberately laid a lot of emphasis on reconstructing roads that connect the Ogun with other states of the country, especially Lagos, the economic capital of the country.

    While commending the OPS for joining hands with his administration at repositioning its security architecture through the rejigging of the Ogun State Security Trust Fund, Governor Abiodun added that his administration would continue to do all it can to make the state the safest place to live, work or play.

    Earlier in his address, Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Adebola Sofela assured that the state government would continue to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

    He said the present administration would continue to partner with industries in the state with a view of propelling the common interest of both the government and industries to greater heights

    Also speaking, Ogun State Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Chief George Onafowokan, acknowledged the position of the state as the best place for industries to thrive.

    He, however, called on the state government to continue to work towards ensuring that the enablers for businesses to thrive are readily made available in the state.

    Speaking on behalf of the Agbara Cluster, the Director of African Industry Group, Chief Sohan Baghla disclosed that they have being able to provide over ten thousand jobs for the people of the state, adding that a greater percentage of their investments are in steel production and processing, aluminium production and processing, glass, chemicals, steel rolling mills, all situated in the Agbara business cluster.

  • Our agenda for Buhari, by OPS

    As President Muhammadu Buhari took oath of office for the second term of another four years, the Organised Labour has put before him the fixing of power, job creation, among others, as priorities to combat unemployment and insecurity in the country, writes TOBA AGBOOLA.

    The Organised Labour  expects  President Muhammadu Buhari to focus on policies that  will lift  impoverished Nigerians out of poverty as well as check ‘gangsterism’ in his second term.

    Speaking with The Nation, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba, said for Buhari to achieve this, there are three key areas he needs to focus on. “The clear agenda is on three issues. Let him concentrate on building three critical infrastructure. One is power. When you have constant power supply, everybody will find his or her level. Industries will blossom and we can begin to address the problem of jobs and insecurity in our country. We thank God that part of the loans sourced will be used for the Mambilla power project. Power should be our major priority for now,” he said.

    He continued: “The second priority is the issue of insecurity. Yes, there are new emerging trends, but no investor will come into a country with security challenge. So, there is need to look at our security architecture. We need to end the entire process of insecurity. I agree that the fight against corruption must be a priority,  but it is also essential that we must get people, who have integrity and we have so many of them in Nigeria. He should not restrict himself to party faithful.

    “Nigerians are making waves around the world. For this second term, he should go for the best. People of proven integrity, not those when you appoint them, they will ‘eat and clean mouth’ and pretend as if they have not eaten at all. This is what is required now and, if we are able to do this, Nigeria can return to the path of greatness, progress, prosperity and everybody will be happy and things can move forward.”

    The government, Wabba said,  must put in place agro-allied firms that will add value to agricultural products as it is done in countries like Thailand and India in rice production, adding that  this is how to create jobs for the youth.

    “The last is the issue of our comparative advantage in oil and gas. We have no business to continue to import refined products; we are exporting our jobs. It’s not rocket science to fix our refineries. In fact, a modular refinery can be built in 18 months. Our refineries can be overhauled. The four refineries, if upgraded, are enough to serve our local needs and even the West African market. It is because of the corruption in the system that we’ve not been able to do this. Those refineries can be used to power businesses and even the power system.

    “But selling it to a few individuals, who are not even paying taxes is not going to help us because in every economy, there is a stage where the government plays critical roles. Look at the United States, when did they start privatisation? It’s recently. Even the United Kingdom, it was during the administration of Margaret Thatcher. The government has a role in business; it has a role in driving social system. We cannot talk of privatisation when we have not stabilised,” Wabba said.

    On the new minimum wage, Wabba said the country has passed the level where governors or employers could play God over the workers.

    He said: “We thank God that we have passed that level, we have passed the bridge. Today, it is a law. If you don’t pay, you have violated the law. There is provision for sanctions; there is provision for us to take many, many actions, including taking the issue to court, and demanding that you pay arrears. Clearly, we have gone beyond the level of ‘whether I can pay or I cannot pay. Political office holders, including governors, have sworn to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, anybody that does not pay has invariably violated the Constitution and his oath of office and he should resign.

    “Clearly, going forward is about the normal tradition that we are going to engage states that refuse to pay. We are not treading this path for the first time. We will continue to do that and nothing that was given to workers ever got to them on a platter of gold.

    “We are not under any illusion that any recalcitrant governor or any recalcitrant employer will give workers the minimum wage on a platter of gold. The law is there, but we have to do engagement and we will do that vigorously and with all our ability to make sure that Nigerian workers benefit from this little increase.”

    Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) Director-General, Mr Timothy Olawale said although the employers’ body does not expect surprises, judging from the president’s policy thrust in the last four years, it nevertheless expects that the administration will not deviate from key polices contained in the Economic Growth Recovery Plan (ERGP).

    “Having followed keenly the thrust of President Buhari-led administration, we do not expect any deviation from the administration’s policies. Much surprise is not expected, judging by the direction of the administration since its inception, hence, we expect to see more of policy stability,“ Olawale said.

    According to the NECA boss, there is the need for the government to sustain its commitment to the implementation of the Economic Growth Recovery Plan (ERGP).

    He noted that stability of different economic policies and focus on different social investment programmes such as the trader-moni, etc, which are deemed pro-poor and deepening of engagement with the private, will help the government put the economy on growth path.

    He added that infrastructure development must also be sustained, as employers expect to see the completion of major infrastructure projects across the country.

    The DG, who expressed concerns of businesses as regard what he termed ‘worrisome trend’ in the first four years of the administration, reminded Buhari of the need to check ‘regulatory gangstarism’, which reached a new height in the last four years of his administration.

    “As the President was making efforts to ease the challenges of doing business in Nigeria, some regulatory agencies were stifling businesses, discouraging entrepreneurial propensity of small and medium scale entities and inadvertently creating the environment for job losses,” he said.

    While drawing the President’s attention the to this anathema, he said “the President must ensure that this trend is brought to a stop”, adding that “a collaborative engagement of the private sector and creation of an environment for it to thrive is the only panacea to the raging threat of unemployment in our nation”.

    Olawale said the Buhari-led administration has another four years opportunity to reverse the negative trends and prognosis associated with the nation in the last four years, noting that concerted efforts must be made to revive moribund industries, support struggling enterprises, create a responsible regulatory regime and focus on inclusive growth for the rapid development of our nation.

    Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) General Secretary, Mr Okugbawa Lumumba, who spoke on his expectations from the new administration,  advised Buhari to promote good governance that would benefit the nation and the masses. “We want the government to expedite action on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill. The last bill was reviewed in 1959,” Lumumba said.

    The PENGASSAN chief said there should be local refining of crude oil, instead of importation, to save cost. He urged the president to also ensure transparency and positive reforms that would change the lives of the masses.

    National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products President Mr Babatunde Olatunji advised the government to kick off the implementation of the leather policy, promised last October 31.

    Olatunji said any policy, made to develop the sector would improve the nation’s gross domestic product, curb influx of foreign foot wears and leather.

    National Union of Textile Deputy General Secretary, Garment and Tailoring Workers, Comrade Ismail Bello, said the sector needed policies that would revive and create jobs.

    Bello said  the non-conducive business environment, smuggling, among other factors, had made the textile manufacturing hubs in Kano, Kaduna and Lagos solitary camps, adding that out of the 250  textile firms in Nigeria, only about 25 are struggling to remain functional due to smuggling and counterfeiting.

    He said the sector is expecting a boost in the patronage of local fabrics and an increase in electricity supply to boost production.

    The scribe said the government should equally collect right duties on imported fabrics to discourage importation and provide gas at affordable prices to reduce production cost.

  • Motorists, OPS lament return of trucks to Lagos roads

    Lagosians thought the end had come to the traffic gridlock on its major roads  with the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari two week ago on a campaign tour.

    But like a flash in the pan, the traffic nightmare has since returned.

    Their joy and relief was  short-lived as these tankers have returned to the roads, causing stressful traffic and frustrating ride on road users.

    The frustration is not limited to commuters alone, but other businesses, such as real estate in Apapa and environs have fallen victims as people are moving out of the area in droves. They cited poor business as a result of lack of patronage, unhealthy living conditions and increased rate of accidents.

    Motor bikes, which serve as veritable alternatives are causing incalculable damage and losses to their riders and passengers. The roads have been so terrible that no matter how careful a motorist or a biker is, he is not guaranteed a smooth and safe drive or ride, as he will try to avoid potholes and ditches to the detriment of other road users.

    The  Organised Private  Sector (OPS), which also expressed grave concern at the return of the tankers to the roads, especially areas leading to Apapa Wharf  and ports, raised concerns on the current dilapidated state of roads leading to traffic gridlock. They said the challenge on road is having debilitating impacts on trade facilitation, cost of cargo transportation and overhead cost of businesses.

    They frowned at the fact that traffic jam on the road currently hampers access to the sea ports, paralyses economic activities, engenders loss of man hour, causes enormous wastage of fuel,  brings about huge increase in cargo dwell time, causes preventable accidents and heightens security risk.

    They spoke in a statement by Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Director-General, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir on behalf of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA), National Association of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (NASME) and National Association of Small Scale Industries (NASSI).

    It read in part: “Most worrisome is that fact that this challenge is also leading to heavy revenue loss to government,  overly too long turnaround time for delivery of cargoes, huge transportation cost, avoidable raw materials stock-out and the inability of companies to meet set production targets.”

    The statement lamented that trucks hired to carry cargoes cannot have easy access to the ports to lift or deliver cargoes and those lifting cargoes cannot come out of the port because of the long hours in the traffic. “It now takes between five to eight weeks for our members to take delivery of their cargoes of vital raw materials,” it said.

    These port users now pay between N350, 000  and N400, 000 as cargo transport cost as against the standard rate of N100, 000 per cargo.

    Ajayi-Kadir, in the statement, argued that the current condition of the road with tankers littering the breath and length of the metropolis is not good for business, but hinders profitability and will eventually erode the reasonable progress government has made in improving the operating environment.

    To the OPS, it is appauling that the ports being the gateway to international trade and flow of cargoes cannot have world class infrastructure, access roads and facilities comparable to those in China, Dubai, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore to mention a few.

    He called on the government to speed up actions that will proffer permanent solutions to the challenge, set up a taskforce made up of representatives of all stakeholders to strategise on ways of resolving the challenge.

    Ajayi-Kadir also suggested the need to immediately free the roads and ease the current pressure on all the stakeholders operating on the maritime value chain.

    A tanker driver, Mutiu Ismail recalled what happened on the day President Buhari came to Lagos. He said they were sent to their parks, which they knew would not last as their daily existence depends on their visibility on the roads. He said they have little or no choice than to pack the way they do to seek visibility and prospect for customers, who either want to lift containers from the ports or export their goods.

    Asked if his association knows the dangers they pose to motorists he responded that this is a case of survival and that the government and other relevant stakeholders know the solution to the problem but has refused to take the bull by the horn.

    He said though a section of the public may have seen them as nuisance, he alleged that they are being made to part with sizeable amount of money on a daily basis by various security agencies, who claim ignorant of what the other arm is doing.

    Another tanker driver, who does not want his name in print, said the public should rather blame the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) for the chaos, claiming that they only work for two hours everyday and wondered how it should allowed by government.

    He said: “When this public institution work for two hours and shut their gates, these containers cannot get inside the port, and in the process they block tanker drivers, who are on their way to various tank farms in Apapa port and environs. When these containers block tanker drivers, will our members climb over them to go into the tank farms?” He added that setting up task force is not the solution to the problem, but just a palliative measure.

    Mrs. Yemi George, who works on Victoria Island and lives in Surulere, lamented the stress goes through everyday to navigate the tankers on the road and bridges. She said she is not the only in this precarious situation and pleaded with government and all stakeholders to consider the plight of commuters who are constrained to go through this on a daily basis.

  • 2019 forecast: OPS releases action points

    Worried by the poor economic fundamentals in the last quarter and the possible consequences for the first quarter of this year and beyond, the organised private sector (OPS) has suggested some action points to get the economy back on track post-2019 elections, report Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf and Charles Okonji

    THERE are worries about the fate of the economy and these fears are not unfounded if the outcome of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) report released last Tuesday, is anything to go by. According to the report, the economy continues on a growth path. However, this growth is still weak, vulnerable and fragile.

    Buhari’s scorecard

    It may be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari campaigned in 2015 on the three-prong programme of economics, security and fighting corruption. In all the three areas, he and the government he leads, has failed, experts argue.

    The devil is in the details

    The latest release from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that Q4 2018 GDP numbers grew by 2.4% compared to Q3 2018 growth of 1.8 % YoY. This growth mirrored the performance of the non-oil sector which improved by 2.7 % YoY. The full year GDP improved by 1.9% better than 2017 of 0.8%. This performance is still weak and fragile. It is also far below 3% annual population growth as this remain a cause for concern due to its wider on inclusive and sustainable growth in the country.

    Outlook for agriculture sector

    The sector expanded by 2.1% in 2018. This sector recorded the lowest growth since 1993. The major driver of this sector performance is Crop Production, which accounted for 88% of Agricultural output in 2018. In terms of contribution, Agriculture accounted for 25% of real output in the year.

    Crude, Petroleum & Natural Gas

    Average daily oil production stood at 1.91 million barrel per day in fourth quarter 2018. This was lower than the 1.95 MBPD recorded in same quarter 2017. The oil sector grew by 1.1% as against 4.69% recorded in 2017. This sector contributes 8.60 % in 2018

    Manufacturing

    The Manufacturing sector recorded an annual growth rate of 2.09% in 2018, this marks significant improvement of -0.21% in the previous year. This sector contributes about 9.20 % to overall GDP

    Trade

    Trade sector contracted by -0.63 in 2018 from -1.05 % and -0.24% in 2016. The sector contributes 17.16% in 2018. The declining performance of this sector signifies that Nigerian consumers are still under severe pressure in terms of weak purchasing power, as trade is a major consumer facing sector.

    Telecoms

    Telecommunication and Information services sector grew by 11.33% in 2018 from -2.04% in 2017 and 2.03% in 2016. This sector contributes about 10% to overall GDP.

    OPS agenda

    The Chairman, Policy Committee of MAN, who was also the former Chairman of Electrical Group of MAN, Engineer Reginald Odiah, told The Nation that if there is violence and delay in the electoral process, the economy which has already been stagnated would retard in its growth.

    He noted that the growth would have persisted, but due to the political atmosphere that is already heated up, the growth figure which the economy recorded in the last quarter (Q4) of 2018 would have retarded, as economic activities have greatly reduced.

    “Again, if the power situation of the country does not improve, the growth will not persist, and capacity utilization for industry must come up to some level, and the demand for the products manufactured locally and demand for electricity must be met. What I am seeing now is that we are not observing the full circle, but the full circle is that Nigerians must patronize made in Nigeria products, and the government must continue to encourage the patronage of made in Nigeria product so that the industries would continue to have demands. Once product demand begins to develop, electricity demand will also continue to increase, and the investors in power sector will be willing to consider investing more money into it. That is the circle we hope that we can achieve,” Odiah stressed.

    Mixed reactions over parlous state of economy

    In the view of AJ Daga Tolar, a civil rights activist, “Many economic indices have posted some of their worst records in history. Unemployment rate has reached a record high. Inflation, while it has slowed down, remains in doubt digits so far in the current term. For the first time in 25years, the country fell in to recession that lasted five quarters; though not the main making of the Buhari government, but exacerbated by its policies. The growth that followed the exit from the recession has remained fragile and sluggish as it is fuelled by oil, whose prices are volatile. The year 2018 ended with annual growth of 1.93% which is still weak.

    The response of Buhari government to the economic crisis, he maintained, “Only worsened the living conditions of the working masses. Worthy of note is the fact that the economic crisis was triggered by the slump in oil prices which was worsened by the absence of fiscal buffers following the pillage of the economy by the PDP’s government. The twin policies of increase in fuel price and devaluation of naira introduced by Buhari government from the crest of its then popularity have not only worsened the living conditions of the working masses and the poor but also threw the economy to the tailspin. There was also increasing borrowing ostensibly to jumpstart the economy but which has heightened debt burden and whose servicing is close to the entire capital allocation.”

    According to Tolar, “The response of Buhari government to the economic crisis only worsened the living conditions of the working masses. Worthy of note is the fact that the economic crisis was triggered by the slump in oil prices which was worsened by the absence of fiscal buffers following the pillage of the economy by the PDP’s government. The twin policies of increase in fuel price and devaluation of naira introduced by Buhari government from the crest of its then popularity have not only worsened the living conditions of the working masses and the poor but also threw the economy to the tailspin. There was also increasing borrowing ostensibly to jumpstart the economy but which has heightened debt burden and whose servicing is close to the entire capital allocation.

    On security, while Boko Haram terrorists have not retaken many of the territories lost to assault of the military at early part of Buhari regime, they have regained the strength. There have been audacious attacks on the military bases leaving many soldiers and civilians dead and displaced. According to some reports, local and international, some towns and communities have been taken over by Boko Haram factions, while tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced. According to a senator from Borno State, most parts of Borno and Yobe States are impassable. Besides, despite the so-called technical defeat announced by Buhari government, Boko Haram were able to easily abduct school girls in Dapchi Yobe while the government was still negotiating the release of more of Chibok girls kidnapped under the Jonathan government in Borno. Worse still, the conditions of the IDPs and IDP Camps remain terrible, while soldiers are complaining of terrible living conditions, a situation that is reminiscent of the horrible days of Jonathan presidency.

    There was also a worsening security situation following the renewed Biafra agitation and highhanded response of Buhari government. The herder-farmer conflicts which though predated Buhari administration got to a head with tit-for-tat cycles of killings. This was worsened and politicized by the body language and comments of the Buhari government including President Buhari and his defence minister as well as conducts of elements like Governor Ortom of Benue who was out to exploit the crisis to cover up his monumental failure. The banditry in Zamfara, Kaduna and Sokoto has sent many Nigerians to an early grave while the government seems helpless and clueless.

    The anti-corruption fight which has seen a number of former government functionaries including top military officers being arrested and arraigned in courts is largely selective as the opposition figures seem to be the main target. The anti-corruption fight has not succeeded to deter corrupt practices across the country, and specifically within the Buhari government and the APC. For instance, it took publicly outcry before the former Secretary to Government of Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal was suspended for the fund meant for the welfare of internally displaced victims of Boko Haram. He has just been arraigned a few days to the presidential election apparently to create an impression of sincere fight against corruption. Besides, many Nigerians are become less enamoured by the so-called anti-corruption fight as it has not translated into an improvement in their conditions. Rather, things are getting worse.

    The fact is that on the basis of capitalism, which by its internal logic breeds corruption, no fight against corruption will be sincere and genuinely beneficial to the masses. Nonetheless, socialists support any fight against corruption and the culprits, whether the opposition figures or ruling party stalwarts, must be made to face justice including forfeiting the proceeds of the crime and spending years behind the bar. However, it is worth nothing that many of those who pillaged the country’s economy under the PDP and in the then opposition parties are now organized under the APC and APC governments across the country. Indeed, the leading elements in the Atiku campaigns, including Atiku himself and Bukola Saraki, were months ago, members of the APC, while some leading members of the Buhari campaign including el Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Ganduje, etc. are former leading members of the PDP.

    On education and health care Buhari government of “change” continued the underfunding of the sectors that directly affect the working masses as it obtained in the sixteen years of the PDP. In spite of the glaring failure of the private ‘investors’, the Buhari government has also maintained the privatisation of electricity sector that was done by the PDP. Electricity tariffs have been hiked by at least 100 percent under the Buhari government.

    Atiku’s Plan

    How does Atiku, the main bourgeois challenger of Buhari, whose campaign theme is “Get Nigeria Working Again”, plan do things differently?

    Atiku and the PDP believe that Buhari government is not implementing neo-liberal capitalist programmes deeply and thorough enough. This is what they mean by the incompetence of Buhari which is held as the reason for the failure of his government. So Atiku has promised if elected to sell the national oil company and deregulate the oil industry. He has promised to float Naira which in reality means an unfettered devaluation of the currency.

    In other words, it is the same policies that worsened the economic crisis under Buhari government that Atiku is promising to deepen in order to turn around the economy of Nigeria and “Get Nigeria Working Again”! Besides, it was because Nigeria did not work in 16 years of the PDP that they were voted out of power in 2015. And, Nigeria did not work because of neo-liberal capitalist policies which led to closure of factories, job losses, rising mass poverty despite oil boom and its attendant economic growth, huge infrastructure deficiency, etc. The same ruinous neo-liberal capitalist programme constitutes the kernel of Atiku’s plan to Get Nigeria Working Again.

    On corruption, Atiku, with a serious baggage of allegation of grand corruption and looting has promised to grant amnesty to looters instead of making them to face justice. He cited example of Turkey which according to him “gave amnesty and all the money abroad came back. The government said that if you bring the money, there is not even taxation.”

    So he has assured the ruling class of a tax free regime on the loots of the country.

    The fact that Atiku can win this presidential election despite the public perception of his being corrupt and his audacious remarks such as “enrich my friends” and “grant looters amnesty “as campaign promises is a serious indictment on Buhari who rode to power on the basis anti-corruption fight.

    And Buhari, if re-elected, will not enjoy any period of honeymoon like he did the last time around, and the working masses, will be all muscle ready to struggle, both for the payment of whatever figure is agreed on for the new minimum wage and resist all manners of attacks, including the possibility of another fuel pump price increase or some other measures to further worsen standard of living of the masses. Nor will Atiku be given a life line; all of the previous sixteen years misrule and anti-poor people policies of the PDP at the helms of affair will come up to haunt the presidency.

  • OPS to partner Oyo govt on tax drive

    Organised private sectors in Oyo State under the aegis of Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industries have assured the Oyo state government of collaborative partnership that would aid and promote business and mutual understanding.

    The group gave the assurance while playing host to the management team of the Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue (OYBIR) who were at the Ring Road office of the Chamber on a sensitisation visit and workshop to the members of the chamber.

    The  workshop which took place at the Chamber’s boardroom was organised to shed more light on the payment of levies and taxes being collected by the government which recently led to the closure of some companies and business premises across the state.

    While addressing the participants at the workshop, OYBIR chairman, Mr Bicci Alli challenged the business owners to make the good intentions of the government in terms of infrastructural and social development come to reality by being alive to their responsibilities of tax payment.

    Alli who was accompanied by the agency’s Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Akin Akinwale also noted that the people have the right to challenge the government on their needs by holding government accountable to ensure taxes paid are judiciously used.

    Explaining the various taxes and levies due to each level of government, Alli disclosed that the state government is working towards the removal of the  confusion in revenue collection that often leads to double taxation.

    The revenue boss stressed that both the government and the business community needs each other, adding that without people there cannot be government.

    Noting that, although, there are many sources where government can source fund, including loans, business interests and selling natural resources, the OYBIR boss pointed out that those sources are not reliable and sustainable.

    “Reliance on natural resources such as oil has failed us. We don’t have control over the natural resources .There are even alternatives to fossil oil. We struggle to get three billion naira monthly from the Federal Allocation. If the situation continues, we won’t be able to pay salaries. If not for the intervention of the Federal Government many states would have gone bankrupt.  If government cannot pay salaries, the business community will collapse.

    “Therefore, we can’t depend on natural resources. Hence,we don’t have any option but to rely on internally generated revenues. But at the same time hold the government accountable.”

    Alli also seize the opportunity of the workshop to cleared the air on the enforcement recently carried out by the agency, saying “it has nothing to do with politics. We follow the law. We don’t have sacred cows.”

    On his part, the President of Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Engr. Ismaila Alapa said the visit was facilitated to help create mutual understanding better the business owners and the government revenue agency.

    Urging the government at all levels to reduce the tax rate in order to stimulate  business activities, Alapa maintained that lower tax rate will encourage small scale business operators to thrive.

    He also called on the Oyo State House of Assembly to  involve the Organized Private Sector in the budget process in order to make input to the budget so that its impact can be felt by the people.

  • Minister seeks OPS collaboration with govt

    The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah has called for active collaboration between the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and the government.

    He said the long-term objective of nation building can only take place when there is synergy between the government and the OPS.

    The Minister stated this during a visit by the members of the OPS, who were on a visit to present a report on Ports’ Reform led by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in Abuja, pointing out that nation building is collective and a long-term process that needs to be approached with humility by all involved.

    “For that to happen, there needs to be active collaboration between businesses and the government,” he said, adding that government is committed to ports reforms and that trading across borders is a key plan of PEBEC’s reform efforts.

    “The ministry is indeed a ministry of enabling environment. We want this engagement between the government and the private sector to continue. There needs to be an active collaboration and we are here to help.”

    LCCI President, Babatunde Paul Ruwase, praised Enelamah for his sustained intervention across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), making industries and the economy to operate more efficiently.

     

    As the Vice Chairman of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), your efforts over the last few years on ease of doing business is noteworthy and this is beginning to yield positive results, Ruwase told the minister.

  • ITF seeks partnership from states, OPS, others

    The Director-General,  Industrial  Training  Fund (ITF), Joe Ari, has appealed  for partnership  from stakeholders, stating that tackling unemployment is not the responsibility of the  organisation alone.

    Ari said the cooperation and  collaboration of all state governments,  organised private sector (OPS), politicians and other stakeholders are critical to defeat the scourge of unemployment.

    He spoke in Abuja during a press conference, assuring that the  ITF door is open for partnership in any aspect of human capacity development, vocational and technical skills training.

    He said:  “In the face of this bleak outlook and in line with our mandate,  the  fund unveiled one of its most ambitious plans since establishment tagged the  ITF review vision,  strategy for mandate actualisation.

    “The six years plan was divided into quick wins,  medium and long term goals.  The implementation of the plan which commenced in late 2016 will terminate in 2022. The key objective of the plan was to accelerate the impartatio of technical vocational skills to Nigerias, aggressively  address service challenges,  tackle infrastructure deficits,  expand revenue generation.

    “About two years into its implementation,  it has trained over 150,000 Nigerians,  who are today earning sustainable livelihood as paid employees,  or as entrepreneur that are employing others.

    “To achieve this, we expanded existing skills acquisition programmes and introduce new initiatives.  These programs include the National  Industrial  Skills  Development  Programme (NISDP),  Women Skills Empowerment Programs (WOSEP),  Passion to Profession Programme (P2PP),  Skills Training Empowerment Program (STEPP-C),  and the Construction Skill Empowerment Programme  (CONSEP) among others.”

  • ‘Nigeria to sign deal after OPS concerns are met’

    There was an explanation yesterday on why Nigeria has not signed the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA)

    The concerns of the private sector must be met before a decision will be taken by the Federal Government on the ambitious continental trade deal, Nigeria’s Chief Negotiator and Director-General of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN) Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe said yesterday.

    The envoy told reporters that another political leg to Nigeria keying in fully into the AfCFTA was already being taken to put in place trade remedy infrastructure not later than December this year.

    According to him, the measures being contemplated include among others, a bill to the National Assembly, explaining that the aspects of the bill will be operating on the basis of executive authority, depending on how long the legislative process of enactment takes.

    Osakwe said: “So, the first element of it is for a law, and/or an executive mandate to operate it and there are WTO countries that operate their trade remedy based on an executive mandate one will decided but we have to make the proposal.

    “Secondly, an investigating authority will be a key part of it. In other words, inspecting, analyzing products that are coming into the country.

    “It is an expensive business but will have to be set up. Thirdly, as a component of it, we will be scaling up the infrastructure for implementing the rules of origin agreement in the AfCFTA.

    “A political decision will be taken after we have adequately responded to the concerns of private sector stakeholders.”

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspended Nigeria’s assent to the agreement after the organised private sector expressed concerns that the country might become a dumping ground for foreign goods Ambassador Osakwe noted that the issue has gone beyond technical capacities of his office, stressing that the concerns were not matters for the NOTN.

    “These concerns”, he said, “are power and border security. The domestic market that was hosted in the Northcentral part of the country, their feedback was that before we can satisfactorily and meaningfully engage in the AfCFTA, there has to be a reduction in the level of violence and insecurity to life and property.

    “That’s not for the NOTN. They are legitimate from one Nigerian to another, these are long standing issues and progress is being made but it will take a while so the question of the timing will depend on the political decision of government on when they want to and when Nigeria should join. There is no silver bullet or magic wand that will solve these problems overnight though they are solvable but they will take a while,” he said.

    Admitting the risks in signing the AfCFTA, Osakwe noted that measures have been put in place to protect Nigeria. He said: “The agreement establishing the AfCFTA which Nigeria has not signed, we have a provision on trade remedies, we have a provision against dumping, we have a provision that is on the basis of which a party can apply for certain duties for products that has been sold below market price from a producer or importer into Nigeria.”

    He noted that the agreement provides for countervailing measures on subsidies.

    “If the importer from another country has used illegal and trade distorting subsidies like export grants, export subsidies, like loans that some countries give to their businesses which they never ask back, to give them an unfair advantage these are examples of illegal subsidies in the agreement we have a clause on countervailing duties to products that have enjoyed or benefited from illegal trade distorting subsidies.”

    As a further measure to protect local manufacturers after signing the agreement, Osakwe stated: “As part of the troika of the trade remedies infrastructure clauses in the AfCFTA deal, we have the preferential safeguard. What it does (it’s not anti-dumping or countervailing duties) it’s a safeguard provision you have in all trade agreements to deal with the probability that when you liberalise in some instances you have a surge of imports and what that preferential safeguard is, is simply a ‘hand break’, you can apply the break and stop the imports, so we have these clauses.”

    “In December last year, what we did based on the minister’s approval is that I signed on behalf the government, a memorandum of understanding with the leading legal law firm in the world on trade remedies called King and Spaulding based in Geneva for them to train, help Nigeria build capacity on trade remedy infrastructure, pro-bono, at no cost.

    “Why do they have to do it at no cost, because it is part of the requirements of American law that you must provide your services pro-bono for your licenses to be renewed. So, we signed an agreement, a MoU on the basis of which they will help and work with Nigeria to draft a trade remedy infrastructure and plot the parameters of how this will work in practice.

    “The training at the King and Spaulding offices in Lagos is for a three month period which started on the 1st of April and concluded Friday last week.”