Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

MAN advocates certification of indigenous artisans, decries neglect 

By Rotimi Agboluaje, Ibadan
28 February 2019   |   5:09 am
The Vice-President of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Oyo/Osun/Ekiti/Ondo branch, Lanre Popoola, has decried the neglect of local artisans. Speaking at an interactive forum organised by the Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry for governorship aspirants in Oyo State, Popoola blamed the neglect of indigenous artisans to lack of proper certification. The gubernatorial candidates…

MAN President, Mansur. Photo/Nigeria Customs Administration

The Vice-President of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Oyo/Osun/Ekiti/Ondo branch, Lanre Popoola, has decried the neglect of local artisans.

Speaking at an interactive forum organised by the Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry for governorship aspirants in Oyo State, Popoola blamed the neglect of indigenous artisans to lack of proper certification.

The gubernatorial candidates of National Interest Party (NIP), Mrs Bonlanle Sarunmi-Aliyu; Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Sharafadeen Alli; and Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party, Olalekan Ayorinde, attended the event, which held in Ibadan.

Popoola said: “Having certified artisans will save this country a lot of money. We waste a lot of money on expatriates who are doing what our people here are doing. You will pay the Federal Government, $2,000 to employ an expatriate that is about N800, 000.

“You will pay the expatriates in dollars and in Naira and you will also provide for their accommodation. Our artisans can do what the expatriates are doing; it’s just that they are not certified. We should have them certified properly.

“When we bring in even an expatriate welder, we will need to employ our local welders to do the work. But what we pay our local welders is peanuts. We should look into our technical schools and trade centres.”

Earlier, the first Deputy President of ICCI, Sir Sola Abodunrun, said the private sector is very important to the economy worldwide, saying the sector provides about 90 per cent of the jobs.

Sir Abodunrin, who represented the President of the Chamber, Ismail Alapa, said it was therefore imperative to know the plans of those who intend to govern the state in term of economic policies and development programmes.

He pointed out that something missing in the campaigns of the gubernatorial candidates is their plan for trade, commerce, industries and businesses owned by the private sector.

The candidates present at the forum presented their individual plans for the private sector.

0 Comments