A former President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigerian (MAN), Engineer Mansur Ahmed, has described the new policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the redesigned naira as unfair and irresponsible.
Speaking at a seminar organised by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) at the ongoing 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair, Mansur said the policy ought to have considered the needs of the citizenry before taking effect.
He stated that the government failed to identify the people who had no role in the problem created but who would be negatively affected by the policy saying, “The role of government is to create policy that involves the standard of living of every Nigerian and not just a few.
“Places like Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Yobe, close to 90 per cent of people are multidimensionally poor; how can we then bring in policies that do not take action of the needs and interests of these people?
“The CBN’s policy is unfair and irresponsible, as any policy that will cause undue hardship on the larger percentage of people is a wrong and unfair policy. I am not saying it is wrong to create a cashless economy but I know there are other ways to create such an economy without creating problems for the masses,” he stated.
The Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Dr Ezra Yakusak, said the importance of packaging to value addition on Nigeria goods could not be overemphasised.
Represented by the Deputy Director, State Offices Coordinating Department, Samuel Oyeyipo, he said, “As Nigeria imports at least 400,000 tons of tomato paste annually, there is a huge opportunity for manufacturers that can get it right both in the Nigerian and African markets, especially in Kano and Benue states, during the peak periods instead of allowing the crop to waste.”
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