The President, Medical Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and MD of Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company, Onna, Akwa Ibom state, Mr Akin Oyediran has said that sustained advocacy by his association last year led to the ban on the importation of substandard syringes into the country by the Senate.
Oyediran who emerged the chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Cross River/Akwa Ibom branch, said he would replicate the same advocacy to the governments of the two states to move the manufacturing sector forward as well as increase its membership in the states.
He made the promise on Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State following his emergence at the 15th Annual General Meeting and public lecture with the theme “Challenges of FX Sourcing; The Manufacturers’ Perspective, Export Windows available and thinking outside the box”.
He expressed his ability to cope with the additional responsibilities entrusted to him.
He noted that despite the challenges militating against MAN, which include access to loans at a good interest rate, access to foreign exchange rate and recent, insecurity, he would do more to change the narrative through advocacy works.
Oyediran said: “The two assignments go together; Medical Manufacturers association is more of working with medical manufacturers in Nigeria, while MAN is a broader Association of manufacturers. I will find time to do what I need to do because it is very important to economic growth.
“Medical Manufacturers Association was able to get the Senate to ban syringes last year, and also able to get the ministry of health to ensure that Nigeria-made syringes are used in hospitals across Nigeria.
“So, if we can take that kind of advocacy work from what Medical Manufacturers Association has done, and also help the manufacturing industries, in this region, it will be good for us.
“The outgoing chairman has done very well in bringing up the association from being comatose, my mandate is to go out there and do more advocacy work to the governments to help manufacturing industries in terms of foreign exchange, tax control and government policies, and reads”.
While appreciating Governor Udom Emmanuel for providing the enabling environment including the construction of roads and other incentives, Oyediran said his push for the relocation of the branch headquarters from Cross River to Akwa Ibom is because the government of Akwa Ibom is more business friendly.
“Akwa Ibom government promised us a piece of land to build our headquarters. So, we see more activities here than in Cross River State as far as industrialisation is concerned,” he said.
Speaking on equity participation of Akwa Ibom state in the Jubilee Syringe, the MD assured everyone that the company is 100 per cent privately owned business, with no equity investment in the Syringe company by the Akwa Ibom State government.
He said however that the Akwa Ibom state government has done greater things to make the Syringe business more sustainable.
According to him” Jubilee Syringe is 100 per cent privately owned business. Akwa Ibom is not an investor in terms of equity investment in the Syringe company. However, Akwa Ibom has done greater things to help make the business of syringe production sustainable”.
