The Automobile, Boatyards, Transport, Equipment and Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE) has advised the Federal government of Nigeria not to tamper with the automobile policy in the country, saying doing so will have negative impact on the nation's effort at creating employment and promoting industrialisation in the country.
The Automobile, Boatyards, Transport, Equipment and Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE) has advised the Federal government of Nigeria not to tamper with the automobile policy in the country, saying doing so will have negative impact on the nation's effort at creating employment and promoting industrialisation in the country.
Secretary General of the Association, Sola Olorunfemi said in a statement said that the current Automotive Policy put in place since 2013 had ensured that "14 out of the 25 registered automakers had started assembling vehicles in the country."
While expressing concern over the plan, Olorunfemi said what the reversal would mean reversing on a policy that will increase the indigenous industrialisation drive which has been the dream of change by Nigerians.
He said "We are aware that motor assembling has been having some hitches as there has been scarcity of the "needed infrastructure for the sustenance of the local assemblyplants," yet it’s not enough to reverse the auto policy!
"Especially, when it is viewed from the angle of huge crises of the labour market cum industrial redundancy which continuous importation of vehicles over the decades has cost Nigerians.
"For us, the FG is just dancing to the tune of some powerful stakeholders who would put their profit first before the progress of our society generally. We should not forget that these set of unpatriotic elements block the bill for ten years through high level lobby and only take the endurance of some courageous Nigerians and sagacity of National Automotive Council for the policy to come to fruition.
"Whereas, the best action to take is for the government to take the bull by the horn and implement the auto policy to the fullest. In fact, such courage will help the FG to resolve the other infrastructural and power challenges.
"AUTOBATE believe that the lowering of the import tariff will rubbish the essence of the policy altogether as most companies would prefer to import cheaply instead of assembling here.
"AUTOBATE use this opportunity to call on all stakeholders to reject the reversing of the auto policy in the name of a go-slow model which is inimical to the change we need in Nigeria. This is why we are working round the clock to organise a Stakeholders' Summit in order to address tasks and challenges in the sector. This will bring both workers and industry owners together.
"Finally, we want the FG to do the needful by working on making the auto policy work so as to industrialise and provide more employment for Nigerians as by then, motors would be available, affordable and environmental friendly, for now no middle class is complaining of non-affordable prize but the car dealers and their hirelings who have ripped off the country and have diversified huge profits made over the years in the other sector."
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