‘Importation is second highest income earner for Nigeria’
NECA wants FG to go ahead with privatisation
The Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Chief Ken Ukoha, has identified import trade as the second highest income earner for the country.
Ukoha told Daily Trust in Owerri, yesterday, that it is regrettable that despite the contributions of traders Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has urged the Federal Government to go ahead with its planned sale of the nation’s four refineries.
The Director-General of NECA, Mr Segun Oshinowo, who gave the advice in Lagos at a press conference, identified privatisation as the best policy needed for Nigeria to stop importation of petroleum products. to the nation’s economy, 90% of traders in the country are tenants in the markets where they operate.
He advised traders in the country have been advised to unite and form a formidable force as the only way to avoid being exploited by those in government.
Describing the recent inauguration of the NANTS, Imo State Chapter, as the best step towards the realisation of the
According to him, Nigeria cannot afford to continue with products importation with the severe economic implications.
He said: “NECA calls on Federal Government to privatise the four refineries in the country in order to stop importation of petroleum products. It is of no benefit having four refineries in the country that are not working.”
He lamented the activities of Federal Government’s oil regulatory agencies, saying they objectives of the group, he called on the traders to have confidence in themselves, saying that they now have professionals in their midst such as doctors, lawyers and academics.
He, therefore, called on members of the association to see themselves as people who could stand on their own and decide who could better their lots.
Also, the
Secretary General were becoming counterproductive in their duties.
He said: “The regulatory agencies are set up to achieve certain
objectives and purpose, but the truth about it is that in this
environment it is not all of them that act in a way that support the development of this country, rather their actions are, in most cases, counter-productive. It is only here we see regulatory agencies that are contemptuous and show impunity in the way they go about their of the Imo State Market Traders Association (ISMATA) Chief Gervane Eleonu in a brief chat with Daily Trust, yesterday, called on members of NANTS to conducts themselves in a way that their opinion and interests would be respected by any government.
He told them that the Imo State Governor has embarked on massive construction of markets and other commercial centres in the state. actions. For example, they are not set up to make money on our mysteries. Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) also falls into the same category.”
According to him, some of the agencies are doing well while some have turned themselves into money making ventures.
He argued that the consumer’s protection council was needed to ensure that consumers get value of what they paid for and ensure safety of products.