BY DANIEL IDONOR
ABUJA—FRESH policy on job creation and industrialisation which are targeted at promoting local production against importation is underway as President Goodluck Jonathan has said that a review process of existing policies was being perfected.

The President said yesterday that in furtherance of ongoing efforts to create more jobs in the country, the Federal Government was reviewing national industrial policies to persuade foreign companies that export a lot of finished products to Nigeria to start manufacturing in the country.

Speaking during an audience with the new Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji, Jonathan emphasised the Federal Government’s determination to take all necessary action to create new employment opportunities for Nigerian youths.

The President told  Shoji that he expected foreign companies from Japan and other nations with a long history of very profitable economic relations with Nigeria to support his administration’s efforts in this regard by moving from the importation of finished products to local manufacturing and assembling.

He said: “Japan has been very supportive over the years, but we want you to do more. We consume a lot of Japanese products.

“We currently import more Japanese products than all other African countries. Japanese companies that export so much of their products to Nigeria have manufacturing and assembly plants in other countries. We want them to start manufacturing and assembling some of their products here too.

“We want to boost local production so that we can create jobs, create wealth and boost our peoples’ purchasing power,” President Jonathan told the Ambassador.”

Shoji, who had earlier presented his letters of credence to Jonathan, told him that the Japanese Government was following the implementation of his administration’s agenda for national transformation with keen interest.

He assured Jonathan that Japanese companies would welcome an opportunity to contribute more to his government’s efforts to boost the productivity of the economy.

…says Customs holds key to Nigeria’s economic growth
BY OSCARLINE ONWUEMENYI

ABUJA—President Goodluck Jonathan stated yesterday that effective execution of the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service had the ability to transform the nation’s economy and put the country on the path of economic growth and prosperity.

Jonathan said this in a keynote speech to delegates at the 66th World Customs Organisation Policy Commission meeting in Abuja.

The President, who was represented by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said there was an emphasis by the government on the diversification of the economy from an oil-based economy, and that Nigeria Customs had a major role to play in the policy direction.

He said: “Nigeria is trying to diversify its economy to non-oil exports and in doing this, we are trying to implement an economic agenda which encapsulates ensuring macroeconomic stability, pushing through a series of structural reforms, be it within our ports and Customs as well as power, roads, rail and other infrastructure and deregulation and liberalisation of the oil sector to unleash the potentials of the economy.

In a welcome address, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Dikko Inde Abdullahi, said the average monthly revenue of the service grew from N30 billion ($187 million) in 2009 to about N70 billion ($434 million) in 2011.

Abdullahi attributed the growth to the support enjoyed by the Nigerian Customs administration from agencies of government over the past few years.

He said: “It is a fact that NCS enjoys a great political support, which has greatly boosted our operations and, therefore, our revenue collection efforts over the years.”

Also, at the heart of our success over the years is integrity in the pursuit of our mandate and the provision of improved welfare package for officers and men of the Service.”

He said that since joining the WCO in 1960, Nigeria has in all possible ways tried to accede to its conventions, agreements, tools and instruments, adding that the Service has also relied on the support of WCO and related with other Customs Administrations and reputable international organizations in order to ensure the attainment of best practices.

He added that, “With the embrace of the Columbus Programme and its capacity building agenda, the Nigerian Customs administration has derived a lot of benefits. The result has been a remarkable modernization and greater effectiveness of the Service.

“Presently, the Service has reached the level of e-Customs involving end to end automation of the clearance system. Since modernization has no end, the NCS is poised to keep improving so as to meet the yearnings of the government, stakeholders and the citizens.”

Abdullahi observed that the NCS has enjoyed tremendous support from the government, a fact which has enhanced its effective performance its roles in the economy.