ROTIMI ASHER
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal government has expressed commitment to actualizing a policy that would make locally made vehicles affordable to Nigerians.
The Director General of National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Jelani Aliyu, MFR, made the declaration in Abuja on Tuesday, while receiving the national executive of the Nigerian Automobile Manufacturers Association (NAMA) led by its Chairman, Mr. Tokunbo Aromolaran (MD VON) and Vice Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Dutsinma Boyi (MD PAN).
According to him, NADDC is putting in place an affordable vehicle financing scheme, which would enhance the capacity of Nigerians across the country to buy new made in Nigeria vehicles, instead of patronizing second hand vehicles.
The NADDC boss also promised to team up with relevant stakeholders towards ensuring early enactment of the Nigerian auto policy into law by the National Assembly.
“I looked forward to working very closely with NAMA members and
other stakeholders in the auto industry,” he said, “with a view to making Nigeria a major vehicle manufacturing hub; not just to meet national demand but also for exports.”
Speaking during the visit, the NAMA Chairman, Mr. Tokunbo Aromolaran, who described the recent appointment of Mr. Jelani Aliyu as fixing a round peg in a round hole, expressed the determination of the stakeholders to team up with the council in moving the auto industry in Nigeria to an enviable height.
He said that the auto policy introduced about three years ago had succeeded in springing back to life active assembly operations and new investments in the auto industry.
