Manufacturers seek 18 months access to forex for backward integration

 


The Manufacturers  Association of Nigeria, MAN President Dr. Frank Jacobs, made the request  during a factory tour by Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and  Industry, Mr. Bimbo Ashiru, where he said, 

“18 months window is what  manufacturers of tomato need to move the sector forward.
  Prerequisite support  Backward integration is paramount on the mind of tomato producers, and  it would only be ideal to support them, actualise this ambition for the  good of our economy, as you well know once this is actualized, jobs  would be created and more importantly exports would start to happen  because Nigeria has the potential to become leading exporter of  concentrates, if given the prerequisite support”.  “One way,  we could make this happen, is partner the northern states,   since tomato cultivation thrives in the North where it finds favourable  climate, Governors in the North should endeavour to work together with  credible Manufacturers like Sonia Foods, to speedily achieve backward  integration.  

Corroborating, Managing Director of Sonia Food Industries, Mr. Nnamdi  Nnodebe, said, “This development has become a challenge and has left  manufacturers groaning under the weight of the current policy which has  made it difficult for them to access raw materials.  “I am very confident, if given this allowance, it will work together for  our good and for the economy, because Sonia Foods can compete a tomato  factory farm, requisite for processing tomato concentrate, within two  years.”  Nnodebe is confident that Sonia Foods can complete a tomato factory  farm, requisite for processing tomato concentrate, within two years. 

 The Ogun State Government pledged its firm support  especially for manufacturers within the state saying they will give the  required support to enable them thrive by  taking the manufacturers’  case to the federal ministries of finance, industry, trade and  investment. “Our government is committed to creating the enabling  environment through good road network because if they are producing all  these goods and we don’t have good road network, the goods are dead on  arrival.”