The Ogirishi of Igboland, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, has criticized the policies of President Muhammadu BUhari-led federal government, who spoke in Onitsha, said that although it was good for the government to ban the importation of furniture, toothpicks and rice, among others, the policy should have been carried out in phases to enable local producers come to terms with the situation.
“It is an insult to import textiles into this country while our textile industries are not flourishing. But the current government policies are targeted at suppressing Ndigbo as a race. Such policies include the current clamp-down on foreign exchange and making Kano the clearing ground for imported goods. How can one leave Port Harcourt or Lagos and travel to the extreme north to clear his goods? These are wrong policies because they will discourage local and foreign investments,” Ezeonwuka said.
“In the same vein, the Buhari’s regime is not observing the constitutional provisions for federal character in political appointments. The government is also discriminating against Ndigbo in the area of execution of projects as the South East Zone is excluded in the provision of social amenities. This is very bad.”
“Buhari should focus on achieving uninterrupted electricity supply. The government should even encourage building of indigenous private refineries rather than relying on the oil cabals, who are deceiving the government and making life unbearable for the entire citizenry, Onwuka who is also the proprietor of Rojenny Sports Resort, said.
Also speaking, Chief Gilbert Bravo Obi, chairman, Nigerian Importers Association, Anambra State branch said: “We heard that President Buhari wants to transfer the clearing house for all imported goods to Kano. Since he assumed office, traders have not been finding things easy. There is no more importation business in Nigeria, and you know, that majority of importers are Ndigbo.”
“However, I must emphasize that it is still too early to draw a conclusion that Buhari’s policies are either favourable to Ndigbo or not, or that they are favourable to business environment or not. At Nnewi, the Publicity Secretary of Anambra State Traders Association,” Dede Uzor Uzor said that, “the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has stayed for over six months now, adding that it had hit him adversely as a businessman.
