MAJAN ROUND TABLE: ADEYANJU CONDEMNS POLICIES THAT DISCOURAGE PRIVATE BUSINESSES
*** Urges The Federal Government to use regulation to protect individual investments
By Mcanthony Onuoha
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: THE PRESIDENT OF MAJAN, ALHAJI TUNDE UMAR DANIAH, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRESIDENT GENERAL, MARITIME WORKERS UNION OF NIGERIA- MWUN,COMRADE ONIHA ERAZUA, AND COMRADE JOHN IKEMEFUNA ,DURING MAJAN ROUNDTABLE RECENTLY.
The President General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria- MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, has appealed to the Federal and State governments to always come up with policies that encourage individual businesses rather than those that aim at strangulating entrepreneurs.
Adeyanju made the appeal at a roundtable organized by Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria- MAJAN, themed “Ease of Doing Business”, held on Thursday, February 17,2022 at NAGAFF Village, GRA, Apapa Lagos.
The President General of MWUN,who expressed worry over dwindling finances, skyrocketed loan charges, reduced purchasing power of consumers and increased unemployment thrown up by Covid-19 outbreak, on the other hand, said that all sides of the pandemic should not be roundly seen as ill luck to the entire business world as it has compelled businesses to embrace technology and also adjust to a new order.
GROUP PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN AT THE EVENT
Comrade Adeyanju, who was ably represented by the Deputy Secretary General of the union, Comrade Oniha Erazua, in his paper presentation identified the challenges of Ease of Doing Business and proffered solutions.
On Ease of Doing Business, the President General of MWUN listed some of the challenges as follows;
(1),”Governments in most economies adopt or maintain regulation that burden entrepreneur’s ability to freely operate a private business
(2), Government policies and procedures dictate prescribed norms which often stifle innovation and impact negatively on vision in business.
(3), Difficulty in business registration with Government regulatory agencies such as NIMASA,NPA and the existing bureaucracies have in no doubt been the bane of Ease of Doing Business.”
To change the narrative, the President General of MWUN urged the Federal Government “to ensure that registration is used to achieve the goal of freedom to do business and to protect individual investments”.
“Governments must reduce the cumbersome way of doing business in our ports and find a way to soften their policies in order to make business attractive to investors and foreigners.”
” We urge the Federal Government to reduce the agencies at the ports, remove the bottlenecks on the ports access roads and cargo clearance”.
“The Federal Government must build infrastructure and ensure free flow of traffic on the roads and highways”.
“The Federal Government should consider business reform aimed at boosting Economic development.”
On some of the achievements of his administration, Comrade Adeyanju noted that, ” if you look at the industry years back, a lot of things were not on ground. This administration cried out to government for road construction, this administration ensured that the shipping companies don’t put their containers on the road. They equally ensured that containers take one side of the road. We made sure that the warehouses are recognized and properly used. Again, our negotiation brought about the issue of the call-up system”.
On Barge operation, the President General said that, “barge is an easy means of conveying vessels hence easing the pressure on our roads, the Union takes barge operation seriously hence it inaugurated 5 barge units to cover Lagos. It was this inauguration that gave birth to Barge Operators Association of Nigeria- BOAN, and we are in alliance with them; it has reached to an operational stage. We have the steering committee which serves as the policy formulator; we have the management committee which serves as the task force”.
At the end of the session, the President General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria- MWUN, commended MAJAN for organizing the roundtable while urging the Association and the entire mass media to do more in Business reportage.
In his vote of thanks, the President of Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria- MAJAN, Alhaji Tunde Umar Daniah, expressed appreciation for the President General of MWUN, for his immense contribution to the Maritime industry, saying that he has written his name in gold for his unique leadership skills, urging him to continue on that path.
Alhaji Umar also appealed to members of MAJAN to put more efforts in making themselves very useful to the industry and to the entire country as they carry out their day to day professional duties.
