Acting Chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Apapa Branch , Mr. Joe Onyebu, said that many businesses are going through very hard times as power supply dropped in recent months. It is estimated that the industry is incurring an added cost running into about million having to power its facilities on generators.

Onyebu, who disclosed this at the 10th edition of Environmental and Safety seminar, held recently in Lagos, noted that  the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) appear to be the worst hit by the epileptic power supply, and once they shut down, it sets up  ripple effects which do not only mean that jobs are lost, but that creditors from banks to private individuals will also have to share in the losses as getting back their money becomes an impossible task.

He stated that the high cost of running manufacturing plants on generators was one of the reasons most local industries had failed to be competitive and profitable as going concerns.

“Imports of substandard goods, smuggling and high cost of electricity have all combined to wreck havoc on Nigerian manufacturers,” he said.

Commenting on the deplorable roads, he said that the government should pay attention to the deplorable state of roads within the Amuwo Odofin Industrial Axis, Mile 2- Coconut Road, Mile2- Kirikiri Road, Coconut to Liverpool Road.

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He stated that this, coupled with the near-complete takeover of the roads by tankers/ trailers, has made access to the ports and members’ factories near impossible at times.

He called on the government to the repair the roads within the Amuwo Odofin Industrial zone as well as the roads leading to the ports.

On taxation, he stated that Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LSEPA) has increased by over 150 per cent the environmental development levy and petroleum storage permit payable which has affected the manufacturers.

He stated that government should harmonise all taxes and levies payable to governments to make thing easier for the real sector.