Lagos’ ban on Styrofoam packs caught members unawares — MAN

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has described the recent ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam packs by the Lagos State Government, as a decision that caught its members unaware; since their inputs were not sought before the ban was placed.

The Director General of the association, Segun Ajayi-Kadir stated this at the 2024 Edition of The MAN Reporter of The Year Award, held in Lagos, on Tuesday.

He expressed surprise that the state government, whose priority at this time should be about supporting the nation’s manufacturing sector, could take such decision without deeming it fit to involve businesses that would, expectedly, be victims of such decision.

Ajayi argued that rather than look for very flimsy excuses for the ban, government regulatory agencies must be innovative, so as to ensure whatever decision taken would be a win-win situation.

“We believe government should be looking towards the manufacturing sector if it’s really sincere about turning the economy around. It is when you support businesses in that sector that they can produce, export, and bring the much-needed foreign currencies into the country. All this can not be achieved by killing the sector as government, through its policies, is currently doing,” he argued.

Also speaking at the event, the President of the Association, Otunba Francis Meshioye stressed the need for government and its agencies to desist from taking harmful and inconsiderate policies that lack adequate inputs of key players that would be affected.

“Within the first two months of this year, a ban was placed on single-use plastics and Styrofoam packs by Lagos State Government, and NAFDAC, in similar fashion placed a ban on alcoholic beverages in pet bottles and sachet below 200ml.
“The former was done outside the timeframe set by the national policy and the latter based on unfounded assumptions; both without due consideration for the economic and social impact of those unwarranted decisions.
“The negative impact of these policies on the manufacturing industries affected as well as the huge number of workers whose jobs are on the line cannot be overemphasized,” he stated.
He therefore urged the government and the private sectors to work in tandem to revamp the ailing manufacturing sector, by exploring home-grown policy initiatives that will address peculiar challenges.

In order to improve the sector in the year, the MAN boss urged the federal government to come up with production-focused policies, backed with more structural measures, to combat the peculiar inflationary pressures from insecurity, energy, and transport costs.

He also called for an overhaul of the power sector, with adequate incentive investment in renewables to boost electricity generation and promote energy-cost efficiency.

“Government should also lead by example and give priority to patronage of Made-in-Nigeria product in all its purchases and for all government contracts and projects,” Meshioye added.