the manufacturing industry from flourishing,” he added.
The industrialist gave
other reasons for the woes in the sector as incessant increase in the price of
petroleum pro usatimes.cc ducts used by industries, multiple taxation, unabated smuggling
and inadequate access to finance, both local and abroad.
He said widespread
insecurity and the inability of government agencies in the ports to meet their
24-hour target, for cargo
usanews.cc clearance, have contributed to the dwindling fortunes
in the manufacturing sector.
Government efforts
inadequate
The NACCIMA president, whose speech was delivered by the Vice President of the
associat
news ion, Mary Iyasere, described current government policies to revive the
manufacturing industry as inadequate.
“For instance, in May
2010, the government announced a 1.3 billion-dollar fund to help banks extend
credit to the manufacturing sector following the decline in available finance
after the global economic crisis had set in.
“Notwithstanding this positive development arising from the reform process, the
Nigerian economy, especially the manufacturing sector is still confronted by
serious challenges, structural imbalance and lack of diversification,” he said.
“The current government policies targeted at the real sector (manufacturing)
are also inadequate and preventing the manufacturing industry from
flourishing,” he added.
The way forward
On the way forward, Mr.
Ajayi stressed the need for the organised private sector to support the
government’s efforts to revitalise the sector through the much-canvassed public
private partnership.
He also called for more
transparency in the ongoing government-led privatisation exercise of public
enterprises.
Quoting statistics from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Ajayi said
between 1999 and 2011, a total of 121 firms were privatised or commercialised,
with about N250 billion realised from their sale.
“It was also reported
that 81 of the privatised firms were operating at about 66 per cent and 41 at
34 per cent performance level,” he added.
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