NECA calls for consistency in national auto policy

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has charged the Federal Government to ignore call in some quarters to jettison the national automotive policy initiated by the previous administration.

The National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP), which received the endorsement of most stakeholders in the transportation industry when it was introduced, aims at stimulating growth in the automotive industry and overall evolution of the economy. It was also viewed to be of immense strategic importance to the economy, being a critical employment multiplier.

Olusegun Oshinowo, director-general of NECA, speaking in Lagos on Thursday against the background of agitation in some quarters to drop the policy, said, “one developmental challenge of Nigeria and major hindrance to sustainable national growth had been successive government’s policies inconsistency and programmes somersault.

“The time has come for succeeding government to put the economic interest of the country ahead of political considerations. Government should imbibe the culture of adopting well-meaning policies of past governments. The automotive policy is one of such that needed to be sustained.”

The director-general called on the Buhari-led administration not to be sucked in by calls for the reversal of the policy, as this would be detrimental to the economy.

According to him, “government should sustain and deepen the policy through a faithful implementation, without waiver or threat of possible reversal, except for the recognition of certain categories of non-luxury heavy duty vehicles that cannot and will not be assembled in Nigeria.”

Oshinowo further advised, “President Buhari will do well by ignoring the clamour to lower import tariff on automobile products, as this will negatively impact on the policy. It will end up promoting importation, which is not in tandem with the contents and spirit of the automotive policy, to promote assembling in the country.”

He reiterated the need for the National Automotive Industry Development Plan to be backed up by an Act of the National Assembly to ensure commitment and prevent reversal, thereby promoting backward integration and diversification.