MAN seeks reversal of Amosun’s ‘unfriendly’ business policies

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun State Branch, yesterday urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to urgently reverse what they described as the “unfriendly” business policies of the immediate past administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

Chairman of MAN, Mr. Saleem Adegunwa, who made the appeal in Abeokuta, the state capital, at the 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association, also implored the state government to step up measures that would enhance the ease of doing business in the state.

Adegunwa lamented that the operating environment in the state during the period was very challenging due to the unfriendly business policies of the immediate past administration.He lamented the payment of water abstraction/borehole charges to the state Ministry of Environment, which according to him, ranges from N2 million to N450 million yearly and arbitrary imposition of fines and charges, among others, under the last administration.

“The business environment in Ogun State in 2018 was challenging as it was wrought with various infrastructural and regulatory issues.“There were series of threats and actual cases of arbitrary imposition of fines and sealing up of factories of manufacturers without following due process or obtaining requisite court orders,” he said.

The chairman advocated the discontinuation of the proposed bill to make Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mandatory for firms operating in Ogun, saying that “CSR is by nature voluntary and an imposition of same is unethical and goes against the undergo riding principle of CSR.”He also called for reconstruction and renovation of major industrial roads within the state while the ongoing palliative measure should be stepped up.He emphasised that “every business is eagerly waiting and seeking for an improvement in the business climate in the state, adding that such situation would enhance their production capacity and ability to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the state.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, in his remark, assured the association that the present administration in the state would correct all the wrongs of the immediate past administration.He said that most of their requests had already been considered and taken care of.

Governor Dapo Abiodun in his address reiterated his administration’s commitment to a viable public private partnership (PPA) in its development plan.The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, recalled some of the measures his administration had put in place to boost business environment in the state.

The governor noted that his administration had recently signed the Ogun Investment Promotion Agency (OGUNINVEST) Bill into law to serve as a one-stop-shop for investors to ease the process of doing business in the state.

He said that he had also created through an Executive order the Ogun Enterprise Development Agency so as to strengthen the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by facilitating intervention funds from the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).