The Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has pledged to actively participate in the arrangements for the implementation of the economic programmes under the Economic Sustainable Plan (ESP) announced by the Federal Government.
The National President of the association, Saratu Aliyu, who made the pledge in Lagos at the press conference to mark the association’s 60th anniversary that has been slated to hold in Port Harcourt, next month said the various economic palliatives announced by the government…
She said NACCIMA was instrumental to ESP instituted by the government for the organized, adding that association stood as guarantor to its members who benefited from the programme. According to her, the initial stimulus package has since been followed by the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) of N2.3trillion.
“We have taken due note of the various programmes and projects under the Economic Sustainability Plan and various Stimulus Packages recently unveiled. This includes the N50 billion survival fund for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) and the N15billion Guaranteed Uptake Scheme to save 500,000 jobs.
Notably, under this intervention, 40 per cent of the funds would be reserved for women-owned business and it is encouraging that it has been indicated that the private sector will play an important role to rejuvenate the economy through these intervention schemes,” she decaled.
She said that “NACCIMA and member chambers are eagerly looking forward to actively participate in the arrangements for the implementation of these programmes and packages under the ESP”, even as she pledged that the association would invigorate its economic advocacy to position Nigeria for global economic competition while also working returning the economy to the path of sustainable growth.
On the 2021 National Budget, the NACCIMA President said “we welcome the various facilities in the budget, such as the 100 billion for households and the N100 billion for healthcare and pharmaceuticals and N1trillion for large agriculture and manufacturing business.
We have also taken due note of the indication that the facilities will be at reduced interest rate from 9 to 5 per cent .We understand the desire to improve rail and road infrastructure and resolve our energy deficiency. But we need to stress that in our desire to deal with these issues as a country we must be careful of unnecessary debt burden. We must not slide back to become a debtor nation again.
According to her , “all said and done, the success of the budget is dependent on its prompt passage and rigorous implementation. We therefore call on the National Assembly for prompt processing and passage of the Budget.
As private sector operators we are ready to heed the call by the President to the private sector to come forward and avail ourselves of the various funding facilities. We therefore hope those who will administer the funds will ensure proper and effective implementation of the facilities.”
She said that the association has made remarkable strides since was established in 1960, adding that no effort would be spared in ensuring that vision its founding was realized.
“The global economy and national economies will no longer be the same as we know it. So for our 60th Anniversary which has already started, and will continue till February next year, we have chosen the theme, “The Future of Business”.
We are continuously reflecting and already adopting strategies to navigate our new and emerging economic. We now hold many of our meetings virtually, carry out many of our activities, such as Business Forums, B2B Meetings, signing of MoU on line,” she said.
This is in quick response to the restrictions occasioned by Covid 19 and the upsurge in on line digital activities, which will most likely be the new normal and the direction businesses is heading.
Continuing she said “as we mark 60 years of the existence of our Association and prepare for the Future of Business, we are already repositioning our Association to continue to play its advocacy role as the Voice of Nigerian Business in the new digitalized economy; which is part of the new normal.
We will also continue to work in an innovative manner to capacitate and reposition Chamber members across the nation. This is to enable them serve as veritable tool to encourage entrepreneurship.
To ensure that they contribute to the growth of the private sector in their respective Geo business zones and immediate environment in the new economic environment unfolding before us all.”
Reflecting on the history of the association ,the NACCIMA president said ,“60 years ago, a group of visionary leaders deemed it necessary to create a national Chamber Movement as a platform for consultation and joint action on behalf of the private sector, and so the Association of Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria and the Southern Cameroun was created.
The Association subsequently evolved to become the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture commonly known as NACCIMA.
As you may be aware, the membership of the Association has grown from six in 1960 to51 today, encompassing City, State and Bilateral Chambers of Commerce, as well as, Business Associations.
With over 30,000 corporate bodies with direct or indirect membership of NACCIMA,our association has been part of the economic history of Nigeria especially with the growth and development of the Nigerian private sector. “
NACCIMA has remained the Voice of Nigerian Business through advocacy for policies that can and provide conducive environment for the growth and development of business, trade promotion and other economic activities part of major historic decisions such as the enactment of the Nigerian Enterprises Promotion Decree of 1972 also commonly referred to as the indigenization decree which was subsequently amended in 1977.
The decrees were designed to place the commanding heights of the Nigerian economy in the hands of Nigerians.
The association was also part of the creation of ECOWAS in 1975 and the establishment in 1976 of the Federation of West African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI). Currently, NACCIMA President serves as the FEWACCI President.
It also played a significant role in the abolition of Compulsory Deposit for Import in 1984, the abolition of Excess Profit Tax in 1991, and the reduction of Company Income Tax from 45 per cent to 35 per cent in 1996.
Saratu said that the tradition has continued today as “we continue to champion the cause of Nigerian businesses through policy advocacy, and work to promote the growth and competitiveness of private enterprise. Our relevance and impact is reflected in the regular invitation to us to serve on various Government Boards and National Committees.”
On the NACCIMA Business Women Group (NAWORG) and NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs (NYE) established in 2005, she said the association has done a lot to empower women in businesses through the two groups, adding that NYE was “designed to encourage our Youth, capture them Young,and inculcate inthem the spirit of entrepreneurship.
