MAN wants FG to reject EPA, remove trade barriers, harmonise taxes
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) wants the Federal Government to remove all barriers to trade facilitation and harmonise multiple taxes and levies across the three tiers of government.
The association also insists that the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should not be signed at its present state due to its negative implications on the local manufacturing sector and the economy.
In a statement signed by Frank Udemba Jacobs, president of MAN, the association says the Federal Government must address the cumbersome procedures and exorbitant administrative charges of regulatory agencies.
While commending the government’s positive steps towards improving the Doing Business Environment in the country, MAN states that the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) scored above 60 percent on six objectives, which is a boost for investor confidence.
The association, however, stresses the need to encourage ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to regularly hold stakeholder consultative forums, where the private sector can be briefed on their activities.
The association likewise canvasses deepening the existing reforms by including indices that will effectively enforce the reduction in the cost of doing business, stressing the need to develop other verifiable platforms for the simplified visa on arrival and submission process.
It says government should effect an improvement on the websites that are currently not operator-friendly and make them more interactive.
“There is a need to expand the set objectives under ‘getting electricity’ to include those that would address the challenges of electricity inadequacy, improper pricing and metering,” MAN tells the PEBEC.
“Manufacturers remain unwavering in our belief that there is no other way to expand the economic frontiers of Nigeria and create employment opportunities for millions of our youths than by creating a friendlier business operating environment for manufacturing to thrive,” the association says, adding that manufacturers will continue to encourage backward integration aimed at encouraging resource-based industrialisation and elimination of the current import dependency of our industries.
In another statement on EPA, the association says from all parameters, West African states, including Nigeria, are not on the same level of economic development as any European country and are not in a position to conclude a reciprocal trade relationship as espoused in the trade agreement with the EU.
“MAN believes that given the reality of today’s world and the current stagflation in the economy, our nation can ill-afford to rely on exporting raw commodities such as crude oil and natural gas, solid minerals and unprocessed agricultural products. We need to break this cycle and invoke deliberate efforts to industrialise our economy, which is consistent with government policy on improving ease of doing business,” MAN states.
The association recommends that Nigeria’s decision on EPA should continue to be dictated by its national interest to develop a robust manufacturing sector.
ODINAKA ANUDU