• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Roads, policy, harmonised taxes top Ogun manufacturers’ demand from Abiodun

OPIC-agbara-road

Manufacturers in various clusters in Ogun State are asking Dapo Abiodun, governor-elect of Ogun State, to renovate industrial roads and cut back multiple taxes levied on investors by the outgoing administration in the state.

Speaking at a strategic meeting between Ogun State chapter of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the governor elect at Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN)’s factory in Agbara last Thursday, Paul Gbededo, group managing director of FMN, said due to the peculiar situation of the roads leading to the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) industrial layout in Agbara, FMN and a few other members of MAN have, over the years, executed palliative measures to help improve the state of the roads.

“However, much more needs to be done. I will like to put on record that the only motorable road within the OPIC Estate was constructed by members of MAN within the estate,” Gbededo said.
The Flour Mills of Nigeria’s boss said reconstruction of Agbara / Atan road is critical, adding that though manufacturers are willing to collaborate with the government on this project, government needs to take the lead in ensuring its proper and timely completion.

“Some of the companies operating within OPIC have been negotiating how to get this road constructed to enhance our ease of doing business, including preparing and submitting the schematics of the road to the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. With the monumental benefits that will accrue to Ogun State with the reconstruction of this road, the importance of the state spearheading the efforts to see this project through cannot be over emphasised,” he said.

“We cannot, of course, forget the issues of drainages within OPIC Estate. We need to address this to ensure that the roads do not revert to their poor state after there are rehabilitated during the raining seasons,” he said, adding that as part of plans to create an enabling environment where businesses will thrive in Ogun State, manufacturers are appealing for harmonised levies, fees, taxes and permits, which are multiple.

Ogun State is currently Nigeria’s leading industrial hub, with virtually all the large enterprises in Lagos having a factory in the state. But the state is hard hit by insecurity, poor infrastructure and money-chasing regulatory agencies hampering investments. Recently, Procter& Gamble, located in Agbara, which was until July 2018 United States’ biggest non-oil investment in the country, packed up.

Seleem Adegunwa, chairman of MAN, Ogun State chapter, joined Gbededo in saying that infrastructural development is vital for the manufacturing sector to thrive.
He explained that the activities of government agencies, particularly the Ministry of Environment, are sometimes inimical to investments.

“Consider cabinet members from people with private sector background,” he advised the incoming governor.

“We know you are already doing this, but we realise that it is impossible for appointees to give what they do not have,” he added.

Segun Dada, chairman, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), said 1.6 million people in Ogun are entrepreneurs, meaning that paying a closer attention to them will revivify the economy of the state.

He proposed the Enterprise Development Agency, which will be quasi-autonomous, to help develop the entrepreneurship landscape of the state.

Olanrewaju Ogunbajo, MAN’s treasurer in the state, said though there are constraints for the incoming government, Abiodun needs to exploit the proximity of Ogun to Lagos.

“We urge you to engage the manufacturing sector and explore low-hanging fruits,” he said.
“You have willing manufacturers that think out of the box and you can make Ogun attractive for people who wish to live here,” he admonished.

Kunle Oluomo, deputy speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, promised laws that will support the growth of the manufacturing sector in the state.

“MAN is very lucky because the presence of governor-elect underscores the importance he attaches to manufacturers. Let me assure you of investor-friendly laws under the incoming government.”

While delivering his speech, Abiodun, the governor-elect, said he plans to increase the ranking of Ogun in the ease of doing business scale.

He promised to meet manufacturers twice a year and assured that he will focus on rural and industrial roads once he is sworn in.

Abiodun assured investors that he would set up a security trust fund which would be well-managed and robust.

“For people to pay taxes, they must also be sure they get something in return,” he said.
“Whatever we need to do to create the enabling environment, we will do,” he added.

He said he and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor-elect of Lagos, are working on creating Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission to collaborate in critical areas, especially transportation.

 

ODINAKA ANUDU