The reduction in the days at work for workers in some states from five to three is not the solution to the subsidy removal by the Federal Government, Mr Christian Udechukwu, Commissioner for Industry Development in Anambra State has said…..CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
The Federal and State governments have also been charged to look inward in their attempts to solve the energy crisis in the country by patronizing Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Company Limited.
Speaking during the tour of the IVM facility in Nnewi, Anambra State yesterday, Udechukwu insisted that the reduction in the working days for workers would not enhance productivity, rather would slow down the country’s growth.
According to him, there was a need to reduce the country’s debt burden but warned that the reduction in the number of days for workers may further increase the economic challenges for the country.
Udechukwu emphasized that the withdrawal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government had created a shock in the country, thereby leading to an over 300 percent rise in the price of Premium Motor Spirt (PMS0, while airfares had also skyrocketed.
He said: “I hear that in some states, they are cutting down the working days of workers from five to three; that cannot enhance and help the productivity of Nigeria. In fact, we should be mindful of the fact that part of the challenges we have to overcome in order to address Nigeria’s debt burden is to increase productivity and not to decrease it.
“If you reduce the days because you want to help the workers save money, you are reducing productivity. The economic challenge will be multiple. What we need to do in order to reduce the debt is to expand the economy to increase productivity and empower industry on a 24-hour basis. We don’t need to withdraw now, rather we need to rise up to the challenges.”
Besides, he advised the governments at all levels to encourage local production, especially Insoson Motors, which he assured had the capacity to solve the mobility problem through its plants at Nnewi.
He explained that Innoson could manufacture gas, solar, liquefied natural gas and fuel-powered vehicles, stressing that the Anambra Government had consistently supported the firm.
He, therefore, challenged other State governments to take a cue from the state by purchasing vehicles in high quantities from the automobile manufacturing company.
Also, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman, IVM, reiterated the readiness of the company to address the transport challenge following the increase in the price of fuel.
Chukwuma insisted that the company could manufacture mass transit and small busses for the country at affordable prices.
“I don’t think there are challenges in the automobile industry because solutions are available. The petrol prices have gone up and people will reduce their spending by using buses for work. We have natural gas to power all these buses, we can use normal gas and even if you want electricity, which is through charges, we can also produce them. Our factory here can produce any brand of vehicles that you need.
“We manufacture according to demand. We are manufacturing small vehicles now because there is demand for them. During the Covid-19 pandemic, what we produced were the ambulances. We are here on the ground and any kind of vehicles that need attention in this country, we can produce them.”
He emphasized that the importation of vehicles by the government or organizations would add more pressure on naira.
“Anybody who goes overseas to import buses is wasting foreign exchange for this country. Everybody must work together to put this country in order. How can we go abroad to import buses when we are producing them here and still export them to other countries? he queried…..CONTINUE READING
