Ogun MAN strengthens membership to 296, admits 31 manufacturing firms

The Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun State branch, has admitted 31 new manufacturing companies from different production sectors of economy, including agro-allied, foods and beverages, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, iron and steels, non-metallic and mineral products, wood and furniture, pulp, paper and packaging.

According to sources in MAN, Abuja, the newly-admitted manufacturing companies in the state formed part of N515 billion of the total investments that came to the state last year.

New manufacturers in major cities and industrial estates, located in Agbara, Igbesa, Abeokuta, Sango-Otta, Ibafo, Mowe, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu and other parts of the state committed N514.87 billion, representing 26.86 percent increase in the total investments in 2014, when compared to N376.57 billion invested in the state’s economy in 2013.

Data obtained by BusinessDay at the 2014 annual general meeting (AGM) of MAN, Ogun State branch, held at Sango-Otta recently, listed Shongai Technologies Limited, Ijako in Sango-Otta, Apples and Pears Limited, Ceplas Farms Limited, Greenlife Bliss Healthcare Limited, Sumo Steel Limited, among others, as some of the newly-admitted manufacturers.

Speaking at the AGM, Bimbo Ashiru, commissioner for commerce and industry, disclosed that 70 manufacturing companies were established during first four-year tenure of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and both existing and new companies were given some level of incentives and benefits that prompted rapid development in manufacturing sector.

Ashiru said that a series of programmes relating to infrastructure upgrade and incentives for manufacturers and operators of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises in the state would be undertaken, but tasked investors and entrepreneurs on joint provision of some key infrastructure, such as roads, water and other infrastructure with government.

Frank Jacobs, MAN president, said that all assurances received from President Muhammadu Buhari ‎so far on industrial growth and economic development of the country have shown that the Federal Government would focus more on removing all factors and bad policies inhibiting industrial activities and jobs creation capacity.

The MAN President said that pragmatic approaches of President Buhari towards economic development and meetings with both local and foreign investors, especially his interventions on the amendments of Central Bank of Nigeria Forex Policy, have built up confidence for investors and manufacturers to ‎expand their investments in the nation’s economy.

“I led a MAN delegation to President Muhammadu Buhari in August this year. This visit provided a unique opportunity for us to discuss our recommendations for the accelerated development of the manufacturing sector and the review of policies that negatively affect our businesses, including the recent vexatious CBN Forex Policy.

“We are confident that the follow-up action ordered by Mr President would yield positive result‎ soon. We have the assurances of Mr President that policies that inhibit industrial activities and jobs creation capacity of our sector would be changed.

“Earlier in that meeting, we had met with the Governor of the CBN‎ to discuss the new policy on ‘Items not valid for Foreign Exchange’ and to present our suggested amendment to the list. The discordant tunes that came out of that meeting was part of the reasons for the meeting with Mr President,” he noted.

 

RAZAQ AYINLA

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