FG Will Go Tough On Smugglers To Save Local Manufacturers-Enoh

The Minister of State for Industry at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), Senator John Owan Enoh has vowed to clampdown on smugglers of contraband goods into the country through porous borders.

The minister said this on Tuesday at the Ministerial Briefing Series in Abuja.

Enoh noted the concerns raised by major stakeholders including manufacturers over the impact of the activities of smugglers as well as issues around power and tariffs.

The minister said there are numerous efforts to address the issue, which he described as a major threat to the Nigerian economy.

The minister said, “On the matter of dirty energy, just about two weeks ago, I initiated some discussions with the International Finance Corporation, on establishing Nigeria’s carbon markets for utilization and storage, which is likely to unlock sustainable financing for industrial growth.

“I thought that was quite important and I think that it’s a discussion that should be able to also provide an appropriate response to alternative energy and all of that.”

Smuggling has become a major challenge for the Nigerian government and manufacturers.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) revealed recently that the Badagry-Seme corridor is a major smuggling route.

The minister said there are efforts to enforce a “Nationwide industrial push, which has already taken me to one zone in the country, and among the industries visited so far, there is a common trend that I already find, and that has to do with the struggle of our local manufacturers that is unfair competition by those who keep smuggling goods that are produced in countries that the producers themselves benefit from a lot of incentives.

“That is one of the reasons for the inauguration of the Industrial Revolution World Group, which is a one-stop group that has the customs and all related and relevant agencies that you don’t need to go too far to try to provide some common solutions to the challenges that manufacturers and industrialists are facing.”

To support manufacturers, he said the Bola Tinubu’s government has provided N200bn intervention out of which N50bn was meant for nano businesses as grants and then N75bn for Small and Medium Enterprises and another N75bn for manufacturers.

Enoh said, “That intervention is still being managed by the Bank of Industry. Let me also say that, you know, one of the things that government and the ministry is currently looking at and pursuing is on how to get our manufacturers to benefit from an appropriate, you know, pricing of gas.

“Finally, of course, we are aware that as of last week, a certain four per cent charge that was begun by the customs and all that was withdrawn was stopped by this government.”

FG Will Go Tough On Smugglers To Save Local Manufacturers-Enoh is first published on The Whistler Newspaper