The Federal Government has been asked to extend some lifeline to the many ailing industries in Nigeria as a way of checking unemployment and augmenting efforts of government in poverty alleviation. The advice came from Chief Edwin Offomah, the Chief Executive Officer Of Eddy Bongos Motors Limited who is said to be the brain behind the formation of the National Automotive Council of 1993.
Offomah lamented the poor implementation of most government economic policies geared towards the reactivation of the dormant auto-industry across Nigeria.
According to him, unemployment in Nigeria will reduce if the Federal Government can muster the courage and give out bailout funds to many manufacturing industries capable of generating thousands if not millions of employment directly. Government is also urged to make some policies that will favour entrepreneurship and small-scale undertakings.
Offomah also condemned the unnecessary bottlenecks and the aura of secrecy created around the National Automotive Council offices as well as the offices of Bank of Industry which makes those offices inaccessible.
Unless this is done, the much-touted technological transfer needed in the country, would remain a pipe dream, Offomah stated, adding that there is need to embark on interactive actions with all stakeholders to bring about the necessary progress in the auto industry.
It would be recalled that Eddy Motors Limited in the early eighties pioneered moves to start incorporating Nigeria content into Nigerian products when he embarked in his made in Nigeria car, Eddybongos Motors.