The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Governor-elect of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to address the challenges facing the manufacturing sector in the state.
The association also urged Sanwo-Olu to implement the existing policies to ensure smooth and profitable operations of the sector in the state when he assumes office.
The Director-General of MAN, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, made the appeal in an interview in Lagos.
Ajayi-Kadir urged Sanwo-Olu to ensure the implementation of the harmonised inspection of factories and other work places as approved in 2016.
He also urged him to ensure the implementation of Water Abstraction Charges by the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission.
Ajayi-Kadir urged him to ensure the schemes worked and that other MDAs and local government authorities were included in the scheme to help eradicate the overlapping functions of regulatory MDAs.
He added that the scheme would reduce the cost and ease of doing business and the wastage of management of time.
“While we congratulate the governor-elect, we are hopeful that his administration will deepen the existing Public-Private Sector partnership.
“We are also hopeful that he will re-focus on resolving the several challenges that inhibit the smooth and profitable operations of the manufacturing sector in the state.
“One of which is the harmonised inspection scheme of work places in 2016. Despite the approval of this scheme, some MDAs still visit factories and work places individually, thus defeating harmonised purpose of the scheme,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the outgoing Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode had approved a Harmonised Inspection Scheme of Work Places in 2016. The scheme was inclusive of the Ministry of Environment being represented by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos State Ministry of Health (Occupational Health & Safety), the Ministry of Special Duties (Lagos State Safety Commission) and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, which served as the Secretariat.
Commenting on the water abstraction charges, the director-general said that the Commission in 2017, commenced the enforcement of the water abstraction charges.