The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has charged the Rivers Government to set up the state Investment Promotion Office necessary to actualise the Federal Government’s industrialisation agenda.
The National President of MAN, Mr Otunba Meshioye, gave the charge in a speech at a two-day Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association for 2023, holding in Port Harcourt.
Meshioye said that the consequences of the recent development of Federal Government reform measures, pronouncements and policies made the AGM mandatory to engage partners and government on sensitive issues.
He listed some of the recent reforms to include the removal of fuel subsidy, structure of the narrative rates and the increase in monetary policy rate.
“The consequences of this nature have made the annual general meeting with the theme, “Re-igniting industrialisation and entrepreneurship in South-South region”, apt and quite timely,” he said.
Meshioye further said that the poor performance of the national economy in the last few years, which the federating states were part of, had made it imperative for the State Government to appreciate the real sector’s contributions to job and wealth creation.
He said that the association applauded the Rivers Government for the improved road network across the 23 Local Government Councils.
He urged the government to recognise the need to harmonise taxes in the state to make it easier for the manufacturing business to prosper.
He appealed for closer relationship between MAN and the government in order to inspire investors’ confidence.
The MAN boss called for the transformation of the Onne Seaport to maximise the business and triple potentials of the region.
He further urged the State Government to develop industrial zones and clusters with infrastructure as well as provide enabling environment for the association to thrive.
He said that the development would boost the activities of the existing industries and expand job potentials.
Meshioye also urged MAN members to continue to fulfil their obligations by prompt payment of their dues and subscriptions.
Also, the Chairman, MAN Rivers/Bayelsa States, Mr Vincent Okoku, said that no nation becomes industrialised without manufacturers association.
Okoku called on the Federal Government to pay special attention to the manufacturing sector, develop road, rail and water ways exports.
Speaking on the theme in a keynote address, Mr. Kevin Uwaibi, said that industrialisation begets job creation, economic development, technology, infrastructure development and crime reduction in the region.
Uwaibi, who is the Managing Director, Edo State Investment Promotion Office, said that skills were needed to be put at the front burner for the South-South region to become industrialised.
