By Christopher Enemuo Esq.
All kinds of groups and different individuals have spoken at one point or another in Nigeria. The politicians have spoken from their campaign podiums and offices, the Pastors and Imams have spoken from different churches and mosques, students spoken from learning institutions, and civil servants from their ministries.
Also, criminals and their victims have had their say, and looters of our common treasury have had time to act and express themselves in different dishonourable techniques. The pressure groups are not left out, the Oduduwa, Arewa, IPOB, Islamic extremists, terrorist herders, secessionists, Boko haram, etc.
Except for the manufacturers, everyone else have spoken. We have not heard the voice of the manufacturers yet, whereas, we want to achieve a consumption-to-production nation.
CONSUMPTION TO PRODUCTION
How do we grow from being a consuming nation to becoming a producing nation?
So far, the present government has made moves toward addressing some key factors which would go a long way to addressing some difficulties encountered by manufacturers in Nigeria.
The unification of exchange rates and the independent power generation policies are two aspects propelled toward relieving about 45% of the long-suffering manufacturer in Nigeria. However, the domiciliary space of the phrase “consumption to production” which is predominantly found on the manifestos and social contracts of politicians who seek public offices suggests that the country needs a jump-start approach to achieving the noble course of becoming a producing state.
As an active conservative manufacturer of over 25 years, there are some survey-based convictions which suggest a jump-start of industrialisation in Nigeria. Therefore focusing on the future; the ratio of existing manufacturers will not be enough to achieve a height in this course but rather, the injection and participation of fresh industries would surely bring about rapid industrialization.
In other words, Jump-starting Nigeria's productivity would not be effectively achieved by powering the existing real industries alone, however, new production firms should erupt with the same speed with which subsisting ones flourish.
WAY FORWARD.
To achieve a jump-start of consumption-to-production, there are configurations of relatively common factors which are germane in the objective of the preoccupation of industrialisation in Nigeria.
A. Manufacturers becomes priority citizens.
B. Accessing the intellectual values of manufacturers.
A. Priority Citizenship
This is a policy which puts a manufacturer exclusively in a position of advantage in the course of her manufacturing activities alone.
Priority citizenship can be further elaborated; however, there is no doubt it is a feasible policy which if properly implemented and taxed would expose the government to direct profiting from the unique returns which are entrenched in this simple ideology of priority citizenship.
Factors of priority citizenship include but are not limited to;
1. The direct partnership of production industries with the government.
2. Quick issuance of all necessary documents, for instance; licences and Certificate Of Occupancy (C of O) where applicable.
3. Health insurance for eligible manufacturers.
4. Direct access to government-subsidized funds, facilities and benefits.
5. Quick judicial adjudication where a manufacturer is involved.
6. Fast-tracking the clearing of industrial equipment at the ports and berths.
Eligibility for priority citizenship would depend on the capacity, duration of legitimate attendance to manufacturing activities and her futurism, she should have passed the government’s priority status test.
B. Intellectual Values Of The Manufacturer Vs. Fixed Assets
It is no more the practice of “where we are” but “where we are going” or “where we can go”.
Most financial institutions in Nigeria are more interior in the aspect of lending. The institutions are more concerned with fixed assets because that is what their physical eyes can see; hence, they are shallow on the intellectual scope notwithstanding its solid and futuristic nature.
There are consistent moves by the federal government through the Central Bank Of Nigeria and Bank Of Industries to meet the financial needs of the manufacturer; however, along the line; during eligibility assessment of the disbursing banks, fast-track motions are cut short because of the interior approach deployed in the process. These disbursing financial institutions are sunk into the outdated facility system; paying all attention to fixed assets, landed properties and bonds. In contrast; the intellectual aspect which is more valuable and visible is not only ignored but most times subdued and eventually eliminated. This oversight is more discouraging when the frustrating disbursing banks are the manufacturer’s bank which has enjoyed uninterrupted tons of turnover for decades; this is how interior most financial institutions in Nigeria are.
To illustrate further; in the ordinary course of manufacturing, a manufacturer approaches his bank for a facility. The bank wouldn't only terrify him with academic-based regulations, unrealistic interest rates and other hidden charges which are ancient rites of fixed asset practice. Most times, such experience discourages the dyed-in-the-wool manufacturers who in turn jettison the loan idea which in turn limits productivity and cuts short the industrial life of a prospective nation.
In most developed and developing countries, they have left the old practice of assessing the applicant industries based on the practice of “where you are” but rather they have embraced “where you are going”. However, few developed countries are now practicing “where we can take you” or “where we can make you go”.
Where We Can Make You Go
In applying the principle of “where we can take you” or “where we can make you go” the practicing countries don't wait for their manufacturers to reach them for assistance but they go hunting for them, no matter where they are located. They find these industries, give them reasons to exist, and improve and grow them by simply facilitating, and monitoring their growth and future.
Therefore, the government through its concerned agencies should directly get involved during the eligibility assessment of a forthcoming industry to be able to take advantage of its intellectual riches, instead of focusing on the present state of such production industries.
Manu. Enemuo CC Esq.
