Mr Tony Ejinkonye, President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has advised the Federal Government to develop local capacities and infrastructure as ways to end the current economic recession ravaging the country.
Mr Tony Ejinkonye, President of ACCI, gave this advice on Wednesday in
an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
“There are so many things government can do they have to build up the
local capacity, local capacity of industries; and for you to build up
the capacities of industries to produce.
“For you to produce as much as we need and not import, infrastructure, we have been hearing we keep harping on infrastructure.
“So development of infrastructure is one way, power, we must develop
the power sector, our railways, our roads, everything that will
support the growth of industry.
“And when the industries are producing at capacity, they’ll employ
more people, thereby reducing unemployment in the country. So that’s
basically what they must have to do.
“Our reliance on the exporting just oil, already everybody knows that
we can no longer depend on oil we have to talk about our agric; we
have to talk about our mining.
“ So those are the areas government can go; and actually working on them.’’
Ejinkonye also reiterated the government’s commitment to made- in-
Nigeria goods and services, adding that if Nigerians patronised
locally made goods and services, it would fast track the country’s
exit from the current recession.
“The will is there, they are committed to made-in Nigeria and
everything Nigeria.
“Because in this period of scarcity of foreign exchange, they can
only but think inwards, but to me something like medical is a process
that would take time.
“Like I know one top government official; he was supposed to travel
abroad for medical treatment but insisted that he wants to be treated
in a local hospital.
“He actually had an accident, and after the treatment, he was
completely satisfied with what he got.
“So something to do with that kind of service is Psychological and
emotional. Some people will decide to travel overseas and some people
will prefer to stay here.
“I think it is a gradual process by the time we build up the
infrastructure in the hospitals and build up confidence in our medical
facilities.
“And from the engagements, like I said, that we have been having, I
know that the will is there, so we will definitely get there
someday.’’
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The president of ACCI listed the successful hosting of the Abuja
International Trade Fair, which he said attracted more than 55 foreign
exhibitors and more patronage than previous fairs, as his achievements
in 2016.
He also said that the association had engaged with governments in
successfully promoting activities such as trade missions, and access
to loans for SMEs.
He added that he had established an ICT Centre for their members and
the general public, which could design and maintain websites at much
lower prices for people.
He said that the chamber had built an Alternative Dispute Resolution
Centre, the (ADR) in order to reduce the cost of litigation for
business transactions for its members.
“We were also able to stock up our Multipurpose Cooperative Society
which provides funding for both staff and members of ACCI.
“And this is just the little we were able to achieve in 2016,’’
Ejikonye said. (NAN)
