For the manufacturing of vehicles in Nigeria to succeed, the federal government of Nigeria has been advised by some exporters to engage service of youths from technical schools in Nigeria
The exporters advocated for need by the federal government to look inward in addressing the high rate of unemployment in the country and to ensure that the automotive policy is enhanced.
For the manufacturing of vehicles in Nigeria to succeed, the federal government of Nigeria has been advised by some exporters to engage service of youths from technical schools in Nigeria
The exporters advocated for need by the federal government to look inward in addressing the high rate of unemployment in the country and to ensure that the automotive policy is enhanced.
A frontline exporter, Chief Bolaji Alonge told Auto Port Weekly in Lagos, that for vehicles assembly in Nigeria to thrive, government has to make it compulsory for the assembly plants that want to invest in the sector to make proper use of technicians who had graduated from the various colleges and tertiary institutions in the country.
Alonge advised the government that, "with the new automotive policy in place, I want to believe it can succeed if government will think of ways to empower our youths who are graduates from various technical schools in the country".
He described President Jonathan's administration as that of intellectual capability, adding that some group of persons may attempt to frustrate his effort to make Nigeria a vehicle exporting nation.
"It’s a welcome development on the part of the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan in his quest to ensure that vehicles are assembled and manufactured locally
"We don't want cars to be coming into this country and we want to be manufacturing cars because Jonathan has a very good agenda for the country, but the capitalist who are the mafia are there to frustrate his efforts”.
He said government’s hike in duty on imported vehicles was done hurriedly because there was a missing link between the consent and input of the concerned stakeholders and the government.
The exporter said that government also made policy statement that propelled the customs to look for more revenue, thus the customs must not be accused on the hike in tariff.
According to him, assembly of vehicles requires technical inputs and it is advantageous for graduates from technical schools to get employed by virtue of the automotive policy.
Alonge also called on all tier of government to strike a balance on the creation of more technical schools rather than Universities, Polytechnics and colleges of education, because, according to him, the tertiary institutions are too many.
All the car manufacturing factories will need electricians, automobile engineers, painters, panel beaters etc and I think if the government can compel the VON, Toyota, Peugeot and others to employ our graduates from some federal and states technical schools, it will go a long way", Alonge stated.
Similarly another exporter of cocoa; Mr. Samson Briggs predicted that Nigeria will export made- in-Nigeria vehicles to other countries in Africa.
Briggs said that, "if the policy works out for good and the price is fair then we are good and ripe for export and I will advice the government to ensure that the manufacturing of vehicles should not be thwarted by some people”.
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