FG challenges auto firms on assembly plants -rhe targelS of this policy inCHIDI U GWU ABUJA
Jo"'ederal Goverrunent as requested automobile Ollllilallies to Olme up with a ProllOSal on the establishment of more assembly plants in the C01U1tr)1: Minister of State for 1'rade wKllnvestment, Mr. Samu· elOnom, who stated this in Ab$ at the opening of the 14th edition of Abuja motor show. also the govenunent was ready to suppon the project for the development of the local auto industr)t He said the OOWltry couJd noc continue to be an Imponer 0( all mrumer cL vehicles. adding that the National Automotive Policy was recently put together to ac· celerate tile development or the sector and stressed that the estabJishnlent ar local assembly plants was pan 0( Its objectives. He said ''The thrust of the National AutomofM! Policy is to ensw-e the sur· vlval, growth and development of the Nigerian automotive Industry using local and tntemaUonaJ hu· man and material resources: this is with a view to enhancing the industry'S rontribunon to the
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NAMA boss defends Aviation Minister's revenue automation
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live vehicles for urban and rural areas; accelerated technological development; Increased e.nllloy-
ment opportunitiesforNige:rians; conservallon or scarce foreign exchange; establlshmenl oC integrated aulOmOtive industrY; standardisation and r3tkmaHsalion of the Nigerian automotive industry; increased private sector participatiWlin the auto ind~ and creatingconduciveoperntion. at environment through the introduction of appropriate flscal and monetary incentives... The minister described the auIOIIlOtive industrY as an engine d growth. which could served as a stimulus for other sectors or the ettlnOIl1y; Acconting to him, the
industry has thecapabiUty togenerate employment opportunities. enhance teehnology tranSfer alld
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of the p;!nlClllating and boost tourism. He ministrY identified with the grumme because It was in dem with the pt"Ogranmll! of
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ttl.'lllaging director d
the Nlgerian AlrspaceManagemenL Agency (NAMA), Eng:t Marl Nnamdi Udoh, has defended the new polk:)' on the auto-matioo d ra.muecolJection In the aviatic8l ind1.JStr.,i; describing It asa strategic drive in revenue genera-
He said, " It shows that quite In agrncment with
Udah addressing trade union leaders of the agency 81 the MID'tala l\1ohammed Airport (MMA). l...agDS during the. week said that the intnxluction r:f the automation would amoo.g other things; bkx:k reYeIltle leaknges, aIkJw fOr proper
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and developed economies or world by the year :Ir2:O. These also espoused in the Development Goals.. VIsion and our rapid pursuit and motion of a private-sector economy all encapsulated
transformational agenda
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UdohchalJengcd the antagOnists u the new policy to rather ponder on the t:ieneHts d the automation, which he highlighted as; trallSpa,r.encx aooxmtabilitY and prol,Jlt}: saying, that "woe obviously cannot
products and services in the In· dustry with a view to enabling
rector;, BKG Exhlbltions, eanykhukwu Agwu, , the theme of this ""',.."...." "rubbing shoulders", fered participants the nltY to showaIse their "':.-"_,.",1 boldlysayweluNemetthectiterla
NIg.rians keep .b,.." w;1h global trends. Besides, the rnI.nis-
promole oJobaI well as unveil new
acquisition. He also spoke on the mC)lor fair, noting that it could help In creating awareness or the latest
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rocter and Gamble Nigeria, in llne wJth its purpose and commItment to touch and improve lives. donated relief products to victims of the flood disaster in KogI. State in a bId to alleviate their suffer-
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The company made the donation recently at the Dood reUef camp at Kabuwa Primary School camp in Lokoja to officials of Nigerian Red Cross and the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Items donated included several cartons of Oral B toothpaste, Safeguani anti·
he UN General Assembly has said It would strengthen partnership with Aftican countries to advance the continent's economic growth, development and participation in the global economy:. The President of the General Assembly, Vuk Jeremie stated thts 00 his opening remark at the Assembly's discussion of tho world body's engagement with Ule New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in New York on Wcdn~ The NEPAD initiative of the African Union (AU) was adopted in 21101. with the continent's leaders pledging to pursue new priorities and approaches for and soclo-eeonomlc
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earlier In his addre;s 00IIlIIlE!fKl. ed the current managenem or
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bacterial soap, and Always mtra , lU!y Account Manager P&C, MJ: Muhammed Taufiq, made the donation at the camp in commiserated with the KogI. State government and the pe0ple over the recent flood disaster that affected several parts of the state. He said as a leading N'lgerian conswner goods company with a portfolio of several trusted brands. P&G is committed to im'Proving lives in Nigeria, adding that P&G recognizes the importance of attending to the pressIng needsof the people that have been negatively impacted by the flood_ Pad and Ariel detergent
FG asked to harness food processing, cement production potential
UN, African countries tasked to advance economic growth In global economy transformation of Africa. The programme is intended to accelerate Africans' efforts to extricate the continent from underdevelopment and exclusion from the global economy:. Jeremic said that to ensure Africa's development was a strategic task for the entire UNa· lions system and bridge the gap between the promise of Africa and the reality on the ground ., believe the UN must continue to give priority to the cootinent's singular needs. "The UN's a&eocles, programmes and entities need to be engaged as never before in the task of supporting African na· tions to unlock their potentlal." Jeremic said that a number of African countries were the hard· est-hit victims of the global eronomic , and rates
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could collect. money fiun the au""""'" madUne If any bank lo' paying mere token for the servb!s
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systeIn to the use or the Autrmated Teller Machine (ATM), where ale
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administration.." Mrumging
above wiftD.n automation. He emphasized that antral)' to the widely hE!1d opinion by the union IeadIn that the a:uttmatlon \\OOld lead 10 loss d" jobs. lk.kJh assured that no worker of the ageocy would lose his or herjob because or the new system. The aUlCllllatlon. he stressed. 1MlUld not drain NAM.A:s purse, just as he likmed the aul:clJlation M
Kono
n industrialist, Chief Ndukwe Iko, on Thurs· day advised the Feder- Over the past years, and investment have 0Ij....""1.I al Government to take steps to harness the potential in food the continentaJ-wide processing and cement promarltet has been bullt macro-economic IndU""OIcs ''''"~ duction in the country. Iko, the Managing Direc· tmprovec1 tor of a Lagos·based indus-""Is pro...... Is trW installation and building and unprecedented. Yet firm, Tusk International Ltd., more needs to be done in a made the call in Umuahla in her of area5an interview with the News ··Solutions must be found Agency of Nigeria (NAN). how to lessen the dliT"...", He said that more than 20 living standards between million jobs would be creban and rurnI populations. ated if the resources in the addressing the increasing food proceSSing and cement parities amongst production sectors were hareconomies." nessed. JeremJc said that to be ··Nlgerians produce sufficient food but due to inad· equate investment, most of these foods rot away yearly.
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"We also have commereiai deposits of limestone in states like Benue, Kogi, Abla, Ebonyl and Enugu. What is nreded now is the political wiD to eJ· ploit the resources," he said. Iko said that althoU!;h government was -privatising its business concerns, it was still Its responslbUfty to provide suitable environment for invesbnent. " In most developed nations, government provides incentives for investors because tbat is the only to attract huge investment into the local economy," he said. lko said that if government encouraged massive investment In cement production. the living standard of the avo erage Nigerians would be up· lifted.