…Slams Govt Agencies for Buying Imported Used Vehicles
ROTIMI ASHER
The Federal Government of Nigeria has been urged to create jobs for the nation’s teeming youths by patronizing local auto manufacturers and providing infrastructure for the automotive industry.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he President of Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmas Maduka made this demand recently during the official announcement of the partnership between Coscharis and Renault for the assembling of Renault vehicles in Nigeria.
He said, ‘’ so far, the company has demonstrated confidence in the auto policy and the Nigeria automotive industry. That is why we have gone into this partnership with Renault to assemble four variants and in an effort to achieve the deal; we have committed huge financial, technical and human resources.
‘’ We cannot underestimate the human and capital opportunities that we intend to deliver in terms of employment and, essentially, the multiplier effects in the economic development of our dear country.
“Having shown this level of faith in the future of our nation by the huge investment we have made, we will continue to demand the patronage and support, in terms of enabling environment, from the government for the infrastructural development. Some of the government agencies are buying used vehicles to support their business. This definitely will not encourage automotive industry in the country.’’
Maduka emphasized the need for the Federal government to provide infrastructure and support the local manufacturer by patronage.
He said:“The government must have a clear policy to buy only made in Nigeria vehicles, which are tested and built to ply Nigerian roads.
“In many areas, they can show their commitment. There is no need to continue to export our jobs by bringing in finished products. We are talking about our youths coming out of school not getting jobs. If you allow factories like ours to spring up with increase of different kind of operations, then we will be able to create 100,000 jobs’’
According to him, the assembly plant, which cost $15 million in 2015 when it was set up, was originally built to assemble Ford pickup and sedans.
“But the volume will not make business sense for Ford to do sedan,” he pointed out, adding, “Though, we are still going to assemble Ford pick-up, we will also assemble four model of Renault. The capacity is to do 18,000 cars in one shift of 8 hours per annum. Now the market size is so small. We are not even doing 10,000 units of car sales. We have excess capacity. That is why we could take other brands.”
