Business
COVID-19: Furniture Makers Seek CBN’s N50bn Stimulus Package
As the Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) commences disbursement of the N50 billion COVID-19 stimulus package for households and small businesses this week, the President, United Furniture Dealers Association Of Nigeria (UFDAN), Mr Emeka Egwuekwe, has called on the Federal Government to include its members in the package to save the industry.
He also lamented that the furniture manufacturing industry has lost over N600 million during the COVID-19 lockdown, noting that if COVID-19 package was not immediately accessed, most of his members would close shop after the pandemic.
Speaking in Abuja yesterday distributing the COVID-19 palliatives to various communities in the Federal Capital Territory and his home Community Enugu-Agidi, Egwuekwe, who is also the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Of Prince Interior Furniture and Furnishing Company Limited said the palliatives were part of his corporate social responsibility programme.
According to him, the FCT communities that benefited from the palliatives which includes foodstuffs, bags of rice and noodles, hand sanitizers, face masks and money are Kugbo 1 and Kugbo 11 and the furniture market.
Egwuekwe, while commending the Federal Government for its efforts in containing the rampaging pestilence and alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians, charged the government and its agencies, especially the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment, the Ministry of Finance and the Presidential Task Force on COVID 19 to display transparency and accountability in the disbursement of palliatives and conditional cash transfer to millions of poor Nigerians.
He said: “the government should look into our sector, the furniture industry. If care is not taken, a lot of furniture dealers would go out of business after this COVID-19 pandemic.
As the President of the United Furniture Association Of Nigeria, I want the government to look at ways of including members in the CBN N50 billion COVID-19 intervention loan, our members need this bailout loan as the furniture industry provides over 6,000 jobs. If you go to Kugbo furniture market you will discover over 6,000 Nigerians making their living from the market.
“I tell you that after this COVID-19 a lot of companies will go extinct as most of our raw materials are imported from China, and since we have not been able to import for sometime and the companies are not working, it’s a major challenge. So, I am pleading with the Federal Government to include us in the bailout funds. We have lost over N600 million not only in revenue, this market has lost over N600 million because of the lockdown.
“The business aspect is closed. People are crying and this is happening when the year is just picking up. So many imported goods but we cannot clear them and others cannot replace their stock. As I speak, so many are still losing so much money as they cannot get their goods or bill of lading to clear the goods. We are in a quagmire and calling for government’s intervention to save our businesses” he lamented.
Egwuekwe had earlier provided about 12, 000 bottles of hand sanitisers to the communities.
He is also creating awareness on the pandemic in the communities and churches through radio jingles in Igbo and English languages, as well as mobilising health officials to enlighten the people on the necessary precautions to be taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
-
Rivers5 days ago
Centre Collaborates NDLEA Against Drug Abuse
-
News5 days agoEx-Rivers Lawmakers Have Forfeited Their Seats, PDP Insists …Denies Pressure To Restore Ex-Lawmakers
-
Niger Delta5 days ago
Edo Community Security Network Bill Scales 2nd Reading
-
Business5 days ago
32m Nigerians To Face Acute Hunger Hunger, June – August – IRC
-
Politics5 days ago
Kano Senator Distributes 1,135 JAMB Scratch Cards To Students
-
News5 days ago
47 Suspected Boko Haram, ISWAP Terrorists Surrender To MNJTF
-
Rivers5 days ago
Monarch Begs For Recognition
-
Featured5 days agoFubara Vows To End Era Of Fiscal Recklessness In Rivers