FG plans to ban importation of vehicles to encourage local production

The Federal Government has revealed plans to ban importation of vehicles into the country, to encourage local production, even as revival efforts for the nation's moribund assembly plants were yet to be visible.

Besides, the government has stepped up moves to reposition the nation's transportation system, in line with its transformation agenda.



Already, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has concluded arrangements to kick-off passenger service on the Eastern railway route before the end of December.

President Goodluck Jonathan stated these while declaring open the 2013 yearly national management conference of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in Uyo, Monday.

The President did not however state the time frame for the vehicle import ban programme.

He stressed that the efforts being made, especially in local vehicle production at Nnewi, Anambra State need to be encouraged.

Recently, the government directed its various organs to purchase vehicles made at the Nnewi plant, a gesture that was lauded by the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga had earlier hinted of government's plan to create three automobile training centres and clusters at Lagos, Nnewi and Kano.

The training centres, according to Aganga, would be established in partnership with Brazil to train Nigerians in automobile maintenance and spare parts production, while the clusters would host new vehicle assembly plants.

The President said that the reform in the rail, airport and the maritime sectors were aimed at gaining the confidence of investors and to empower Nigerians.

The government's policy of economic inclusion, according to him, was designed to empower the less privileged and the unemployed through opportunities in agriculture and skills acquisitions.

"We can emphatically say that as a result of our economic policy, there have been significant improvement in our economic transformation drive," Jonathan said.

The President, who was represented by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Aji, said any country without a rail system cannot be classified as an industrialised country.

Jonathan assured that the government would not relent in its effort to deliver the dividends of democracy through good governance.

The President described the partnership between NIM and Federal Government as "historic".

The Governor of Akwa Ibom, Chief Godswill Akpabio, said that accountability and transparency were the key pillars to good governance.

According to the governor, in good governance "nobody should be above the law".

"Good governance enhances democracy as well as efficiency in the economic, sustainable and developmental transformation of any nation.

"The rule of law oils the wheel of democracy and breeds transparency and accountability.

"The state must have sufficient legitimacy, power and authority to guarantee the enforcement of its laws," Akpabio said.

Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Valerie Ebe, said that his administration has reduced unemployment by creating jobs in the state.

The National President of the institute, Dr Michael Adewale-Cole, said that the institute had 200,000 individual and 400 corporate members.

Adewale-Cole said that the yearly conference was to enable members brainstorm on the issue of leadership in Nigeria with a view to proffering solutions.

"The problem of Nigeria has never been that of paucity of funds and resources, but lack of the political will to execute programmes," Adewale-Cole said.

He said that NIM was poised to, through conferences and other programmes, support the government by providing viable roadmap to leadership problem to enhance good governance.

The District Manger, NRC, Eastern zone, Felix Njoku disclosed plans for the passenger service in the zone in Umuahia, Abia State, over the weekend.

Specifically, the Eastern route of NRC stretches from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri through Makurdi and Kuru, near Jos.

He said that the December date was based on the successful rehabilitation of some parts of the Eastern rail route.

"We told the public before now that barring all odds, railway operations along the Eastern route would start in August.

"I am happy to state that government and the firm executing the job from Port Harcourt to Makurdi were able to achieve that target with the movement of train from Port Harcourt to Enugu,'' Njoku said.