Page 44, THISDAY, Vol. 16, No. 5762
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
african business Nigeria to ED: We Want Mutually Beneficial Tr~dePartnership he Federal Government has told the European Union delegation to Nigeria that the countty will only enter into partnerships for trade or development that benefit the countty as. against the former practice where it subscribed to all partnerships. This position was conveyed by the Chief Economic Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Professor Precious Kassey Garba to the Union when their Ambassador to Nigeria, David Macrae paid a visit to her office at the Secretariat in Abuja. Garba also solicited the support of EU to develop and put critical infrastructure in place that will solve the problem of unemployment and usher good life to the people
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From Ahamefula Ogbu in Abuja
of the countty. She told the delegation that while they should assist Nigeria to build and develop, they should also cany other regional states along so that there would be even development of countries in the West Afiican region. Garba said that the govemment of Nigeria wants to refocus and go for what is beneficial to the countty by selectively choosing what will be of common interest to the partners while on the ec0nomic front, the nation will move from sourae dependent economy to a sophisticated
interest to Nigeria was trade, investment from outside and assured that the federal government was putting the right environment in place to enable the foreigu investment to thrive. The Chief Economic Adviser said thai strategic development was needed to develop capacity that will them' compete enable favourably with other economies in the world. ''We want to move away
from agreements where our partners benefit more than we do. \\\:l want to see partnerships that benefits and move us .may from source dependence. \\\:l need to transit to industrial State", she said. Garba said there was need for the nation to choose areas of immediate interest and development so that the capacity fur fair competition with other developed economies would be there through technical ability to
process materials. Macrae at that juncture noted 'that canying other countries along especially in the Economic Communiiy of West African States (ECOWAS) along posed the problem especially with the di:trerences in the interests, addihg that a careful balancing was needed. He said since Nigeria was almost half of the region having it progress was like solving the problem. He said Nigeria should not
emphasise more on development funds but should diversify into trading and diversification of the economy . which has already started while the area of Agriculture should be emphasised. Macrae noted that it was good that the two oountries which have been ooopernting should continue to explore areas of common interest as they have the willingness and capacity to enter into mutually beneficial partnerships.
one.
S he agreed that the areas of
Trade Unions Lobbyfor better Houses, Wages for Workers
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he Tanzania Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (Tpawu) in Karatu district has direct,(] owners of coffee plantations .0 ensure they improve and .ncx:lemise workers' houses. Tpawu Secretary, David \1akaya, said in an interview with this paper that some of the houses were too dilapidat~d to live in. According to report by the fanzanian Guardian, he said one of the major problems facing agricultura1 workers, particularly those in coffee plantations, was poor housing. "They have been living' in unsafe houses, which puts their lives at risk;' he said. He explained that five out of 21 farms had unsafe houses. '~We have told the owner but the response is discouraging.
So, we are planning now to take legal action;' Makaya said. On salaries, he said workers were getting very little compared to what they toiled for. "Last year, Tpawu entered into a contract with Tanzania Association of Employers (Tae) to improve the minimum wage from the cur-' rent.65,000/- to.75iXlO/-;' he. noted. He, however, explained that the minimum wage of which coffee plantation employers had agreed to pay workers was not enough to meet the current cost of living. On legal protection, the secretary said many of the workers Were not aware of the rules and regulations guiding them. "What they need is salaries only. They do not care about other things;' he insisted.
Cocoa O-'perators Split over Export Ban
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vory Coast presidential claimant A1assane Ouatlara called for a month-long ban On cocoa exports from Ivory Coast, the world's largest pr0ducer of cocoa beans. Since, the cocoa iridustry in the West African nation is split over whether to heed the call. Ouatlara'sCocoa exports ban, \\' hich came into force on January 24th and which is supposed to end on February 23rd, was desigued to heap more pressure on President Laurent 3hagho, who has refused to cede, power after disputed elections in November. TIns ban is tho latest in a string of measures - including internationa! travel ') ms and asset freezes on G<>agbo and his allies - aimed at forcing IvorY Coast's strongman from power. Cocoa export is on one of the mainstays of Ivory Coast's ,",onomy. Besides, coc"" export ., a key source of revenue for r....urent Ghagbo wbo refuses to oede power. Cocoa and coffee account for 20 pen:ent of Ivory Coast's gross domestic product md 40 percent of its export rev~nues.
Gilbert Anoh N'Guessan, lead of the CGCC, the nationcocoa management board and 1 Gbagbo ally, on Monday 24th ~
told cocoa operators they should iguore the call. ''Any decision coming from an<lther source than the CGCC is null antl void [ ... ] the CGCC is the only body that has authority to take treasures that apply to the cocoa and coffee sectors", be added. Three days after Ouatlara's call for cocoa export· ban, oJ'ficials at the Port Autonome d' Abidjan, said cocoa exports from the We:( African nation which supplies around one third of the world.·s cocoa - continued as normal. ''The 1ruck-lo3cts of cocoa have not stopped coming since this morning;' said Sery Drepoba Leandre, spokesperson for the port. "There is no disruption in cocoa exportation activities." Yet Ousmane Altai, a cocoa specialist in Abidjan, said some traders - convinoed fierce internatirna! pressure and the threat of IT ;litary action from regional bl", ECOWAS will eventually force ·:Jhagbo ont - will heed his
call. Mero x Laic i. one such trader. "I ,'on't want to'spoil my cocoa tra 0 business forever;' he said. "v, hat will I do when Ouattara takes office and his appointed team runs national adminis'.rations? I don't want to compnmise my chance to continue this ""smess:'
•• L-R: O/orogun O'/ega Emerht>" ~ON, Vice Chairman, Alh. Yahaya Aliyu Sa'ad, and Miss Agnes Okiemule Umukoro, Company Secrelary,aU of standard Alliance Insurance Pic during the company's 14lh Annual General Meeting held at Asaa Pyrami4 Holel, Kaduna ...recenlly
Larry Ettah Urges Manufacturers' Focus on Innovation
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he Group Managing Director/CEO UAC of Nigeria Pic. Mr Larry E. Ettab has identified innovation and world class human capital as the major elements which the manufacturing sector required to enhance its contribution to the Nigerian economy. In a presentation on "Manufacturing sector contribution to national tmhsformiltion" at the Executive MBAI National Conference on Nigeria in Lagos recently,
Ettah explained that manufacturers must deliver products and services that reflect the consumption and buying pattern and lifestyle of their con-
gy, entrepreneurship, and techmeal and vocational education. Ettah, who received loud ovation for his erudite presentation, pointed out that the
sumers to stay relevant.
enabling environment must be
His 20-page paper at the conference, which had the theme, ''the Next 50 Years: Pathway to a New Nigeria;' the UACN helmsman also advised the manufacturing sector be contribute to overall national education reforms, which should encompass quality, science and technolo-
provided for the sector to thrive. He therefore urged the relevant authorities to upgrade the roads, airports and other transport infrastructure to world class standards. "For the manufacturing sector to thrive, we should have judicial reforms to simplify and expedite resolution of
Thousands Protest Inflation in Jordan
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hou.sands of people in Jordan have taken to the streets in protests, demanding the countty's Priine Minister's step down, and the government to cwb rising prices. inflation and unemployment. In the third consecutive Friday of protests, abuut 3,500 opposition activists from Jordan's main Islamist opposition group, trade umOnS and leftist otganisations gathered in the capital, waving colourful banners reading: "Send the conupt guys to court". The crowd denounced Samir Rifai's, the Prime Minister, and his unpopular policies. Many shouted: "Rifai go away, prices are on fire and so are the Jordanians." According to reports by
• A1-Jazeerab, another 2,500 . people also took to the streets in six other cities a:ross the countty after the noon prayers. Those protests also called for Rifai's ouster. Members of the Islamic Action Front, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood and Jordan's largest opposition party, swelled the mnks of the demonstrators, massing outside the al-Husseini mosque in.Amman and filling the downtown streets with their _ prayer lines, King Abdullab. has promised some reforms, particuliuly on a controversial election law. But many believe it is unlikely he will buw to demands for the election of the Prime Minister and Cabinet officials, traditionally appointed by the
king. Rifai also announced a $550 million pockage of new subsidies in the last two weeks for fuel and staple products like rice, sugar, livestock and liquefied gas used for heating and oooking. It also includes a raise for civil servants and security
personnel. However, Jordan's economy continues to struggle, weighed down by a record deficit of $2bn this year. Inflation has also risen by 1.5 per cent to 6.1 per cent just last month, unemployment and poverty are rampant - estimaled at 12 and 25 per cent respectively. A University Professor, Ibra1tim Alloush, told the Associated Press that it was not a question of changing fin,; or replacing one prime minister with another.
commercial disputes;' Ettah said. He also advised that the financial sector should refocus on financing towards real sector activities, while macroeconomic stability and low interest rates at below 3 percent inflation level should be guaranteed. Ettah suggested that the government should stimulate additional private sector investment in power generation, distribution and services .' ,. in order to enhance private sector contribution to economic growth. He would therefore want the power sector reforms concluded. while all refineries should be privatised and the downstream petroleum deregulation completed. He lamented that capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector has dipped from a height of 5"1.3 percent in 2002 to 47 percent in 2009, resulting in the decline of employment generation from nearly 1.4 million in 2002 to less than I million in 2008 and 2009. Although the Nigerian situation appears gloomy, Ettah said the private sector must not be discouraged. "We must not give up on ideas. Ideas are capilal, the rest is just money;' he counselled. ''The past infonns but cannot be changed, our concern must be the future, so as interested guardians of future oestimes, we must engage:'