Members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kano State Chapter, have appealed to the Emir of Kano, to assist the association in addressing the continuing closed- down of manufacturing plants in the state, occasioned by high cost of doing business.
The association said the mounting incidences of plants closure, is particularly, caused by the prolonged energy crisis which the state is experiencing, as well as, issue of multiple taxation, and high –cost of sourcing funds for operation.
Lawan Sule Garo, national council member of MAN, made the call in Kano, when he led the newly elected members of the local chapter of the association, on a courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi.
Garo also told the emir that the resolve of the Kano State Government to use Tax Consultants in tax collection which is against lay down practices in Nigeria Tax Law, was pushing more plants out of operation.
Other challenges being faced by manufacturers in the state, he stated are: high cost of transporting raw material and machineries from the sea ports to the northern part of the country, pointing out that it is more expensive moving imported items from Nigerian Ports, than moving them into the country from overseas.
Garo noted that MAN is soliciting the support of the Emir in tackling of these challenges in order to boost industrial activities in the state, which would go a long way addressing the incidences of unemployment.
In his response to the issue presented to him, Muhammadu Sanusi, Emir of Kano, charged the Federal Government to fine-tune the policy and logistic interventions in place that would assist in reviving manufacturing activity in the state, which before now is known to be one of Nigeria`s textile manufacturing hubs.
The emir said the revival of textile manufacturing activity which has a high employment creation value, is one of the surest ways of addressing the mounting incidence of joblessness among the teeming young Nigerians.
Sanusi made this call at his Palace in Kano, when he received a delegation of National Council members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Kano State Chapter, led by Lawan Sule Garo.
He described manufacturing, particularly, textile, as vital to national economic development, which calls for adequate support from government in area of policy and logistic interventions.
On the issue of energy crisis, he expressed delight that the state now enjoys between 16 to 18 hours of electricity, but, however, appealed to Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) to supply more electricity to it industrial customers in the day time, while, emphasis should be given to residential customers at night.
Commenting on the issue of the closed plants, the Emir observed that one other factors responsible for development was the age of the plants, noting that most of the closed plants have outlived their life cycles, and called manufacturers in the state to embrace new technology.
On the matter of taxation, he called on the tax authorities review the tax and ensure that only profit of companies are taxed, and this should be done within the existing tax laws.
