Industrialist urges ban of disposable syringes importation  

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)of Transgreen Nigeria Limited, Cyprian Orakpo has called for the ban on importation of disposable syringes in Nigeria.

He urged the Federal Government to borrow a leaf from the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump’s slogan of America first, to protect local manufacturers as well as Nigeria’s economy.

Transgreen Nigeria Limited, the first disposable syringes manufacturing factory in Lagos, was inaugurated by Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

Speaking to The Guardian at the Bi-monthly PR Tea Party organised for Small and Medium Scale businesses by Hustle Africa, in Ikeja, Lagos, Orakpo stressed that though President Trump may not be going about it in a right way, Nigeria should begin to think about placing the country first, because at the end of it all, you are on your own

According to him, what Trump is doing today is real, he might be doing it wrongly, but there must be a better way to do it.

“Why should the government still be importing syringes, or allowing syringes to be imported? Some of them you can’t even certify their qualities.

“You cannot guarantee their sterility. Some of them are manufactured in China, You have seen many Facebook videos on the internet, where they manufacture these medical devices in unsanitary conditions.

“You know that one syringe is one life. Syringe is not just a medical device. We must begin to see a syringe as representing one life.

“And you don’t know what life it will take. So you can’t afford to make mistakes. You must get it right the first time,” he said.

He stressed that the company has a mission to elevate healthcare everywhere and see that it is improved in the country.

According to him, this started during COVID-19, in 2020, when Nigeria was caught asleep as there was no face mask manufacturing company in Nigeria.

“In fact, there was even no means of exporting because the sea was closed.

“So there was none in Nigeria. So we saw our medical institutions, our frontline warriors, the doctors, the first responders, using Ankara clothes to cover their noses. And we know the risk involved.

“So we dived into face mask manufacturing. And became the first manufacturer of face care in Nigeria.called Ocare Medical Face Mask.

“That was what inspired us to elevate healthcare, everywhere in Nigeria and Africa to ensure that the vital medical consumables that are needed by our hospitals, by our laboratories, by our scientists, are made available at a good quality and at a good price.”

Orakpo also lamented the harsh manufacturing environment in the country and called on the government to ensure a more friendly environment.

He said: “Just like every manufacturer will tell you. The endangered species in Nigeria today are the manufacturers.

“One of the toughest jobs to do is to be a manufacturer. Because you literally have to provide everything by yourself. The cost of energy in Nigeria is one of the highest in the world.

“Energy at N220 per kilowatt hour is more expensive in Nigeria than the United States of America, China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, these are competing countries. And we are paying twice that an average Chinese company is paying on power.

“So how can we compete with these countries? I know power constitutes over 25 to 30 per cent of our overhead in manufacturing. So, it is quite tough as a manufacturer.

“We also have a lot of non-state actors on our highways, on our streets, on our roads. What we call Agberos. They claimed to be licensed.

“They go about with receipts and booklets of different local governments, collecting tolls. But we know that these tolls, they are collecting, are not reaching the coffers of the government. At every mile you go, you will find people will stick and clogs.

“They will flag you down if you are carrying manufactured goods.

“There is an amount that you pay. In fact, on the streets where my factory operates, there are two within 200 meters distance.

“I’m saying literally, between 200 meters distance, we have two toll gates by non-state actors. They are collecting money from people, mostly from transporters, mostly from trucks.

“Either they are delivering raw materials or they are delivering finished products.

On government policies towards revamping the health sector, Orakpo applauded the president for recently issuing an executive order for granting zero import tariff for raw materials and machinery.

He, however, lamented that while the executive order was given on June 27, 2024, it took nine months for its execution.

” Customs published the implementation guideline only two weeks ago. So it took about nine months for the executive order of the government, of the President.

“We are talking about the executive order of the President. There was a need before the order was released.

“Now, the ministries that are supposed to work together, there are about four to five ministries that are supposed to synergize and come up with the implementation guidelines, so that the order will not be abused.

“Obviously, I believe they meant well. By making sure that all the I’s are dotted and all the T’s are crossed, to make sure that importers and traders don’t abuse it. The order was specifically for bona fide manufacturers.

“But it has taken them so long, nine months, for the guideline to come out. “The factories and the companies that were there would have died within this nine months. Do you understand what I’m saying? So they could have done it faster than they did.

“So, coming to the policy, the government policy was good, but the implementation could have been done better.”

He, however, called on the government to see health as a priority and declare an emergency on the health industry because anything can happen.

“Like I mentioned about COVID. You don’t have to wait for rain to begin to fall, before you begin to work on your umbrella to make sure it is working. So, the government should give attention to everything, anything else.

“For example, if you go to General and specialist hospitals, I mean government and federal government hospitals in Lagos, there are no beds. If you are in an emergency, you will be on the passage. They won’t even admit you.

“So, the government must, like in my company, Transgreen, have a mission to elevate healthcare everywhere.

“The government must see that as the mission and increase the percentage of the budget for healthcare,” he added.