• Urge FG to address issues of multiple taxations, gross extortion
• Oduwole vows to prioritise market, tackle infrastructural issues

Entrepreneurs, importers and traders at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex (LITF) in Lagos have decried the terrible decay and non-existent infrastructure in the axis, issues of multiple taxation and extortion from non-state actors, all of which they said continue to hinder trade and investment.

They noted that they have grown weary and if nothing is done to solve these numerous issues, they would be forced to give up their investments, which they say run into trillions of naira.

President of the LITF, Okechukwu Ezigbo, noted that they wished to be formalised and recognised properly by the state and federal governments.

He, however, decried the total lack of support from the government despite the billions of naira they remit to the government’s coffers yearly.

Ezigbo called for the taxes to be streamlined and made one-off, as well as the removal of checkpoints and urchins from the road.

“We’re over-taxed but get nothing in return. We’re being treated as visitors rather than investors and we’re running out of patience. Looking around, the infrastructure is decaying around us. We pay billions of naira yearly to the government, yet we have no roads, no light and no water. The little you see here, we do it ourselves,” he added.

He said that these policies had caused them to lose a good chunk of customers to other countries, saying, “We want to produce locally. We are tired of importing, but there is no infrastructure to support our desire.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, who spoke after a tour of the complex, acknowledged that their demands had been well received.

Oduwole said that the ministry intends to grow exports as much as possible, pledging to prioritise their demands and work with the market to provide long-term solutions.

“We have been talking about attracting foreign investments, but we also need local investments to thrive. We will work with you regarding the logistics and infrastructure challenges that were raised. We want more people to come and more trade to happen and this can only happen if these issues are taken care of. We will tackle these issues one after the other, but I assure you that solutions will be provided,” she said.