Why Nigerians should support auto policy –VON MD

The Managing Director of Von Automobile Nigeria, Mr Tokunbo Aromolaran, has urged public support for the Federal Government’s automotive policy.
“We must consciously support the automotive policy, patronise locally assembled vehicles and encourage the industry to grow.
“Only then can we achieve the potential for job creation and foreign exchange generation, which the industry has so much potential for,’’ he said.
Aromolaran made the submission in a paper he presented at a national workshop for chief executives of mass transit companies in Abuja last week.
The paper is titled: “Local Demand for Buses and Assembly Plants as Driver of Safer and Better Mass Transit Operation in Nigeria.’’
Von automobile operates the resuscitated Volkswagen of Nigeria Assembly Plant in Lagos, which assembles the Ashok Leyland commercial vehicles.
Aromolaran said that patronage of locally made vehicles would boost the viability and efficiency of the assembly plants, enabling them to provide vehicles at competitive rates to the benefit of all stakeholders.
He said: “With increased patronage of the newly assembled Nigerian vehicles, pressure is minimised on the country’s foreign exchange requirement.
“The assembly plants quickly achieve economies of scale and are able to lower unit production cost.
“The resuscitation of the assembly sub-sector provides a good platform for indigenous component manufacturers to spring up with its positive implication on the auto industry and our GDP.
“They will also guarantee reliable and affordable spare parts as well as create direct and indirect employment opportunities for Nigerians.’’
The Von managing director said it was easier to verify the adherence of locally assembled vehicles to safety standards because local assembly facilities could easily be assessed.
This, he said, was not the case with imported vehicles and new global brands which could not be so easily verified.
“ In situations where mass transit operators purchase used vehicles, you are in the dark about the standards of safety in the originating country.
“You are also unaware of the technical health of the vehicle as it could have been subjected to stressful use and abuse,’’ he said.
Aromolaran explained that the demand generated by local patronage encouraged continuous investment in more modern efficient and safer vehicle systems.
With time, he said, mass transit operators would realise that they could avail themselves of superior vehicles, built to international standards that could enable them to run an efficient, uninterrupted and profitable operation.