Business
Industrialist Attributes Hike In Consumer Goods to Raw Materials Cost
The Chairman, UTC Nigeria Plc, Hayford Alile has said that the rate of increase in prices of raw materials has been a major threat to effective cost control and pricing of consumer goods in the food manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy.
Also, he posited that the greatest challenge of Nigerian manufacturers was the unstable rate of increase in prices of raw materials which he said has remained a threat to effective cost control, apart from the challenges of erratic electricity supply, water, security and poor road network.
He explained that the negative impact of the global financial meltdown that started in the last quarter of 2008 on the capital market has made it impossible for most companies to source for additional funds by way of public offer or rights issue.
Also, the chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Apapa branch, John Aluya on his part said that the disturbing trends facing the manufacturing sector were myriad, as condition for doing business in the country was becoming even more difficult as evident in Nigeria’s position in the global business environment, ranking from the 108th position in 2007 to 118th in the 2008.
According to Aluya “Consistent decay in infrastructural facilities, lack of security, corruption and policy inconsistency have led to mass exodus of multinational companies from Nigeria to naghbouring West African countries.”
He however implored the government to work in partnership with MAN in distributing fund earmarked for the revitalisation of ailing industries, as major economies of the world had intervened to save their real sector, stressing that government should take urgent steps to address the matter.