Achilike faults FG on import policy

From BENJAMIN IKE, Kaduna
Posted: Thursday, July 8, 2010

THE recent removal of the ban placed on the importation of certain commodities that were once regarded as contraband has continued to attract the reaction of stakeholders, pleading with the Federal Government to rescind its decision.
The Federal Government last month reversed its economic policy by lifting the ban placed on importation of textile materials, furniture, toothpick and cassava products.
Speaking with the New Nigerian on the issue, Executive Council member of Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Chief Augustine Achilike, described the lifting of the ban as a setback to the Federal Government’s efforts to revive the ailing textile sector.
According to the KADCCIMA chieftain, “the United Nigeria Textile Plc in kaduna had just resumed operations and suddenly the Federal Government announced the lifting of ban on textile materials which is not encouraging to local industries.”
Chief Achilike, who was at one time Vice Chairman (Commerce) Trade Group of KADCCIMA, said the development is capable of crippling activities in the sector after the Federal Government had invested so much on power-generation, infrastruturaldevelopment and bail-out of some industries, in a bid to create employment opportunities.
“We understand the essence of trade liberalization in accordance with what the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is preaching but ailing industries have to be protected one way or the other”, he said.