By Toyeeb Omotayo
The Executive Director of Dele Group, a manufacturer of medical devices and pharmaceutical products, Mr. Damilola Shittu, has called on Kwarans and Nigerians to patronize made-in-Nigeria products adding that the products are safe for use, noting that there are regulatory agencies strictly enforcing quality standard on manufacturers.
He made the call during an interview with newsmen at the 9th annual general meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Kwara/Kogi branch in Ilorin Kwara State.
According to Shittu, ” You may not be very sure if those goods you are importing from other countries have been thoroughly examined and are safe for use but the ones produced here in Nigeria cannot escape it because the regulating agencies will not even leave you alone. You must ensure that you put our citizens’ lives first before profit.
Addressing how the nationwide inflation has been affecting business owners and manufacturers, the Executive Director appealed to the government to encourage small companies to export their goods and products so as to improve foreign earns and help the Naira currency gain its feet gradually.
” As a manufacturer, we are saddled with the responsibility of delivering cotton products to our customers and consumers but unfortunately, the country is saddled with a lot of problems.
“There are a lot of conflicting government policies which should be looked into. Presently, local manufacturers have high costs of production. We are trying hard at the local level by trying to bring down the cost of our products in order to keep our stakeholders happy, considering the financial situation of the country.
“However, we see that on the policy side, the government is not properly harmonising to favour the environment. For example, look at the issue of fuel subsidy, foreign exchange, inflation, insecurity.”
He urged the government to look into illegal and controversial taxes and levies, saying that multiple taxes should be harmonized at all three levels of government to ease the burden of business owners.
As a solution, Shittu proposed that “a gas-powered energy distribution plant supplying power exclusively to Industries is needed in Kwara State. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should give directives to Commercial Banks to reduce interest rates on Industrial Loans”.
He also appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria, as a matter of public emergency, to widen the window of Foreign Exchange (FX) to local industries.
