The war against the manufacturing and importation of substandard products into the country may soon assume a new dimension following plans by the Federal Government to come up with enabling laws to prosecute offenders.The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the 25th Lagos International Trade Fair on Friday.He said the move was part of the ministrys renewed efforts to increase the patronage of made-in-Nigeria products, boost the productive capacity of local industries and make them more competitive in the global market place.The minister said he was putting structures in place to ensure that products manufactured or imported into the country met global standards, adding that the ministry was partnering the private sector to remove barriers to increased productivity.This, he noted, would enable the Federal Government to create jobs, generate wealth and grow the Nigerian economy.He said, "In line with the current administrations transformation agenda, the Ministry of Trade and Investment is determined to provide friendly investment climate, which is very vital for an accelerated economic growth and development."To this end, this administration has given priority to the provision of adequate infrastructure with a view to stimulating sustainable and steady growth in the real sector of the economy."Aganga added, "While the government is fully committed to a market-oriented and private sector-led economy, it also welcomes private sector partnership in the provision of infrastructure facilities in the various sectors of the economy."'"To achieve this, the Ministry of Trade and Investment, through the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, recently launched the Operation Zero Tolerance for substandard products."In order to ensure compliance, he said a consumer desk had been established in major markets in the country, while an enabling law was being put in place to prosecute offenders.In order to improve the countrys investment climate , Aganga said that the ministry would soon set up a doing business competitiveness council in collaboration with the organised private sector to remove the barriers preventing the industrial sector from fully maximising its productive and installed capacities.He said the ministry was working out modalities to introduce a credit guarantee scheme to support the purchase of made-in-Nigeria products as part of deliberate plans to boost the demand and supply of locally-made goods.Aganga said, "No meaningful economic progress can be made in terms of wealth creation and poverty alleviation without a robust manufacturing sector. Our modest efforts at improving our economic environment will attract more investment and partnership from other countries to enable Nigeria to become one of the top 20 developed nations in the year 2020."Nigeria has the wherewithal to make this happen. And we are committed to partnering the organised private sector as a strategic and reliable ally to move the Nigerian economy forward."
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