The federal government on Wednesday began moves to ban importation of tokunbo cars into the country by approving an automotive industrial policy development plan.
Specifically, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) also approved that government should direct that all vehicles purchased by government should be from local assembly plants, unless it was specialised nature and NAC had certified that it was not produced in Nigeria.
It also approved the sum of N39.8 billion for the rehabilitation and expansion of the outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from presidential villa roundabout to the OSEX / Ring Road 1(RR1) junction, including five interchanges. It also approved the sum of N1.6 billion for the provision of engineering infrastructure to plot 4075, Asokoro extension (comprising 50 plots), Abuja.
The automotive industrial policy development plan was approved following a memo tendered before it by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga.
After the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, Aganga told journalists that he brought the memo seeking council’s approval of the policy measures to transform Nigeria’s automotive industry in order to attract investment into the sector.
According to him, “a transformed automotive industry will realise its potential as a major driver of economic growth and diversification, job creation, local value addition and technology acquisition.
“These recommendations were adopted at various fora conferences and consultations with stakeholders including some original equipment manufacturers(OEM),” the minister added.
The council approved that the recommendation be backed by appropriate legislation to give comfort to investors that there would be no abrupt change in policy.
Meanwhile, FEC approved a memo brought by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, seeking approval for the rehabilitation and expansion of the outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from villa Round About to the OSEX / Ring Road 1(RR1) junction including five interchanges.
Council approved the contract in favour of Messrs CGZ Nigeria Ltd at the contract sum of N39, 829, 749, 225.69 on the conviction that the project would provide employment opportunity for about 1, 500 professionals, artisans, skilled and unskilled labour.
Bala said, “In order to ensure free flow of traffic and significantly reduce travel time in and out of the city, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) intends to embark on the rehabilitation zof and expansion of the OSEX from the villa roundabout to the OSEX / RR1 junction.
“The existing segment of the OSEX from the villa roundabout to RR1is only partially developed with a 2-lane main carriage way and one 2-lane service carriageway as against the 10 lane expressway provided in the Abuja Master-Plan. The OSEX is an expressway that bounds the city on the eastern fringe and provides the major access to the city.”
175 16 0
No comments:
Post a Comment