By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has lauded efforts taken by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to improve the country’s local milk production.
The CBN on Monday announced the exemption of six companies from restriction on milk and dairy products importation. It said it was a move to get companies to start improving investments in the country as part of the backward integration plan.
These companies were Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria, Chi Limited, TG Arla Dairy Products Limited, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Nestle Nigeria Plc (MSK only) and Integrated Dairies Limited.
The Director-General, NECA, an umbrella body for employers in the organised private sector of Nigeria, Mr Timothy Olawale, in a statement on Thursday, said that the step was a good response to what has affected local business patronage.
“We commend CBN for the bold step of reversing a policy that almost crippled the dairy and milk industry.
“The exemption of the six companies demonstrated that government is indeed, responsive to the concerns we had expressed severally.
“While we support the efforts of CBN, its derivatives and dairy products, we believe that businesses should be given ample time to plan and implement the backward integration programme,” he said.
Mr Olawale further called on the government to keep up with the policy and continue to support local milk production and also used the opportunity to call on the exempted companies to keep their end of the bargain.
The Director-General also called on the government not to only stop at dairy production but to also look at the many investment opportunities in animal husbandry as an industry that generated large employment for citizens and revenue for government.
According to him, doing this will enable the organisations and many other players in the industry to focus on their core business of dairy and milk production.
“Government should institutionalise dialogue and focus engagement with organised businesses before taking fundamental policy decisions that can affect businesses.
“A collaborative approach to policy formulation and implementation will do well for the development of the nation,” Mr Olawale said.
