understanding the consequences of such actions,’’ President Muhammadu
Buhari said, Friday, in Abuja.
President Buhari made the declaration when he received representatives of
the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) led by its president, Mr
Babatunde Ruwase, at the Presidential Villa.
The President used the occasion of his audience with members of the LCCI
to shine more light on his decision to inaugurate a Presidential Committee
Monday this week to assess the potential costs and impact of the agreement
establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for
Nigeria.
‘‘Nigeria is still assessing the impact of this agreement on its backward
integration and import substitution policies.
‘‘Specifically, the provisions on rules of origin and transhipment were
matters of concern to us.
‘‘Already, some of the treaties we are party to have been significantly
abused resulting in massive smuggling which has crippled many of our local
industries and destroyed millions of jobs.
‘‘To avoid these past mistakes, we conducted vast consultations across the
country in which the LCCI participated. The responses have been mixed,’’
the President said.
On the issue of the gridlock in Apapa, Lagos, President Buhari
acknowledged that the situation was a major concern to all.
‘‘The work on Wharf road is in progress. We will continue to do our best
to expedite the repair works at the Ijora Bridge without compromising
quality.
‘‘We have also directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation to use their
infrastructure in the ports to support the evacuation efforts, thereby
further decongesting the area.
‘‘Be assured that the completion of these projects is a major priority of
this administration,’’ he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Ruwase while commending the Federal Government for
the series of Executive Orders focused on promoting the ease of doing
business in the country, stressed the need to improve the regulatory
environment in the oil and gas industry.
He, therefore, appealed to the executive arm of the government to
expeditiously consider the Petroleum Industry Bill through appropriate
collaborative actions with the National Assembly.
The LCCI president also drew the attention of the President to the
numerous abandoned Federal Government properties in Lagos and the economic
waste it represents.
He urged the Federal Government to either return the property to Lagos
State government which is the original owner of the land; or give them out
on lease to the private sector.