[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal government has assured the stakeholders of the Nigerian Automobile and allied sectors that it had no intention of reversing or cancelling the nation’s auto policy, as positioned by the former regime under the leadership of former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, gave the assurance on Tuesday, when addressing participants at the Stakeholder’s Forum on the Nigerian Automotive Industry held at Oriental Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to the Minister, president Buhari’s regime is aware of the importance of consistency of policies and of the auto industry at diversifying the nation’s economy.
“So contrary to fears exercised at certain quarters,” he explained, “ what the federal government is doing is to listen to the stakeholders and chart with them a common course towards making the policy work.
“We are not reversing the Auto policy. That is why we have brought all stakeholders together towards identifying imperfections in the policy and agreeing on how to make it work for the benefit of our nation.
“Any sustainable policy that will create jobs for our people is what we want, which is why we are interested in local content development. And one of the keys this government will use is sustainable incentives to stakeholders, who are doing what is right.
The minister said, for the policy to work, stakeholders will have to be part of its implementation.
“Along the line, therefore,” he noted, “we will ensure effective engagement, monitoring and evaluation of the policy, carry stakeholders along and ensure those, who do what is right are rewarded and those who do otherwise sanctioned.”
Titled: “Setting an Implementation Agenda for the national Automotive Industry Development Plan (NIDP)”, the forum featured two panel discussion sessions with key stakeholders and had in attendance Engineer Aminu Jalal, Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Chairman of Toyota Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, Mr. Ibrahim Boyi, Managing Director, PAN Nigeria Limited and Mr. Thomas Pelletier, Managing Director, CFAO Automotive Equipment and Services Nigeria Limited.
Others include: Mr. Tokunbo Aromolaran, Managing Director, VON Automobile Nigeria Limited/Chairman Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA), Mr. Jacky Hathiramani, Group Managing Director, Kia Motors Limited, Mr. Parvir Singh, Managing Director, Stallion Motors Limited and Dr. Cosmas Maduka, President, Coscharis Group.
The forum also attracted participants from allied sectors, including: Mr. Andrew Nevin, Chief Economist PwC Nigeria, Mr. Ascanio Russo, managing Director, Grimaldi Agency Nigeria Limited, Mr. Michael Larbie, CEO & Regional Head West Africa, Rand Merchant Bank and Mr. Sunday Hart, Director of Operations and Logistics, Michelin Nigeria.
