Director-Basic of the Producers Affiliation of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, mentioned about 2,500 of the affiliation’s members are considering shutting down and sending their staff dwelling if nothing is completed concerning the excessive electrical energy tariffs. He mentioned the members hoped their motion would appeal to the eye of the federal government to their plight and get it to accede to their calls for.
Talking at a media briefing asserting the affiliation’s Annual Basic Assembly (AGM), the DG mentioned the electrical energy tariff abruptly went up by 250 per cent, including that no enterprise and even particular person can survive the sharp improve.
“It’s much more evident that no enterprise is meant to outlive because the federal authorities went on to offer a 50 per cent low cost to universities and hospitals. If the rise was acceptable within the first place, the federal government wouldn’t give them a reduction.
“Producers are very a lot as deserving of the subsidy as different establishments as a result of we create jobs, pay taxes and are answerable for the rise in non-oil exports the nation is boasting of. We’re certified to take pleasure in a reduction as properly,” he insisted.
Reacting to MAN’s authorized swimsuit that was final week, the DG mentioned the affiliation remained undeterred, including that some producers are extraordinarily agitated and have expressed worries concerning the survival of their companies.
“They’ve mentioned we should always shut down operations fully and ship the employees dwelling. Possibly, the federal government will hear. We’ve got 2,500 members and you may think about if each certainly one of us shuts down. It will likely be catastrophic,” he mentioned.
He mentioned a 100 per cent improve is perhaps acceptable however a 250 per cent improve without delay is ridiculous “particularly since half of our manufacturing value goes to vitality prices”.
He mentioned a number of taxation stays one of many prime two issues dealing with producers, which they hope can be addressed by the Presidential Tax Reform Committee.
He mentioned a few of the committee’s outcomes are already being applied and that he was hopeful the committee would see the reform by way of.
Lamenting that they’re at the moment over-taxed, he mentioned producers at the moment pay over 60 taxes and levies and requested that this be streamlined to a most of 10.
President of the Affiliation, Otunba Francis Meshioye, mentioned the Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee (NERC) and different related our bodies didn’t undergo the proper course of to find out the present tariff pricing. If that they had, she mentioned, all stakeholders can be on the identical web page.
“The DisCos forcefully positioned us on Band A, when not all companies run 24-hour shifts or requested to be placed on Band A. Many small companies that run eight-hour shifts, as an example, can’t afford that Band and have cried out. The DisCos aren’t aware of that, therefore they put everybody collectively,” he mentioned.
