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Nigerian economy is sick � Akintola Williams
Atser Godwin
The Chairman and founder of Akintola Williams Deloitte, Mr. Akintola Williams, has said that the Nigerian economy was sick and needed treatment so that it could come back to life.
Akintola spoke to our correspondent in an exclusive interview at the silver jubilee anniversary of Soajaji Nigeria Enterprises Limited.
He advised the Federal Government to maintain consistent policy as regards tariffs and taxes imposed on industrial ventures in order to promote growth of the sector.
Speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Soajaji Enterprises Limited, Alhaji Olayiwola Jaji, said that the Yaba Industrial Estate had suffered infrastructure and utilities decay, stressing that the obsolete electrical cables and fittings, rotten water pipes, and blocked sewage were some of the problems of the estate.
He lamented over the poor power supply, which he said manifested in intermittent power supply with simultaneous crazy bills, adding that the natural response to shift attention to generator as alternative source of power had its attendant heavy cost.
He said, �National Electric Power Authority seems not to be satisfied with our predicament. As we are speaking, a number of factory units had been unjustly disconnected for 17 months through the machinations of NEPA consultants on the spurious and malicious allegations of tampering with 50 year old meters.�
According to him, the consultants remained unmoved by the ceaseless complaints of the industrialists and even directives of superior officers to reconnect the occupants, including that of the Minister of Power and Steel, Senator Liyel Imoke..
He called on the government to review its policy on patronage of goods that would compel government offices and parastatals to patronise made-in � Nigeria goods.
He commended the Federal Government for giving the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, sufficient powers to raise the quality of industrial products to meet international standards. Also worthy to mention, he said was the fight against the importation of fake and adulterated products into the country.
He said that the company had diversified into other favourable production lines that require substantial local raw materials with the emergence of Nations Pride Multipurpose Liquid Detergent and Perfumed petroleum jelly.
The Punch, Monday August 02, 2004
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