OGUNCCIMA Asks FG To Involve Private Sector For Effective Foods Importation Ban

Ogun State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA) has insisted on the involvement of the organized private sector by the Federal Government, to make its policy banning importation of foods and other prohibited items into Nigeria, effective.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last December instructed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to grant foreign exchange for Importation of foods and other banned products into the country.

But President of OGUNCCIMA, Alhaji Wasiu Olaleye accompanied by Deputy President, Engr.Mike Akingbade, in an exclusive chat with Edu-Biznews on Tuesday at the MKO Abiola Trade Fair Complex  in Abeokuta, explained that only involvement of farmers and other key stakeholders in the organized private sector in the formulation and implementation of this policy would make it effective .

      OGUNCCIMA President, Olaleye

Olaleye who lauded the initiative of the presidency on banning Importation of foods and other prohibited items, stressed the need for government to grant waiver to industries to import the needed raw materials within six months period to keep the system running and not just stopping the Importation over night.

He added that within the same period of waiver, government should engage farmers,industrialists and other stakeholders on how to boost local production to meet the demands of local industries and multi-national companies operating in the country and then stop Importation of such raw materials or foods.

According to him, Nigeria more than 10 years ago used to be net importer of cement but now the country is net exporter of cement because of collaboration between government and stakeholders in the Organised Private Sector.

"The problem we are having in this country is that somebody will sit down in an air-conditioned Office in Abuja and decide the fate of farmers in Odeda or somewhere in Ijebu area".

Olaleye  emphasised that government must involve key stakeholders in formulation and implementation of its various policies, saying any policy with out the inputs of private sector  would be thrown back at the makers because it would not work.

 "For instance, the breweries and other  multi-nationals need maize as raw materials for their finished products, government needs  to engage farmers to continue to grow maize for the next three months and certain quantity of the production would be for the industries, during the period government should grant waiver for the industries to import maize into Nigeria for six months period which will be tailored towards improving the local production of maize and there will be an agreement among the stakeholders to stop Importation of maize in the next six months, to encourage patronage of local production, that is the way to go and not banning such Importation over night", Olaleye stressed.

The OGUNCCIMA Boss also commended the presidency for its ban on rice Importation, saying 'there is no need for importing rice into a country with vast arable lands  for rice cultivation". 

Olaleye while  lauding the reopening of land borders by the Federal Government, added  that such step would boost trade activities among West African countries and rest of Africa  without payment of duties under the recently ratified Africa Free Trade Area(Afta ).

He however noted that the Idi-Iroko border in Ogun State, was yet to be re-opened as at last Monday, expressing hope that it would be opened soon , to boost Trans-African  trading activities in the state which has the largest concentration of  industries in Nigeria .