Concerned by looming mass unemployment as a result of the exit of multinationals over harsh business environment in Nigeria, stakeholders have charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to establish conducive business environment for job creation.
Even as Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff (FOBTOB) has called on government to fulfil its constitutional role of job creation and industrialisation. In addition they call for reduction of the over 60 multiple taxation operating the real sector. Their fear against the looming threat to means of livelihoods is as a result of companies leaving Nigeria regularly.
Speaking in the 15th Delegates Conference of FOBTOB, which took place at the weekend, workers and employers of labour who converged under the umbrella of the senior staff category, FOBTOB, in unanimous agreement reminded federal government that the threat of job loss could push more people into poverty and trigger of vices across the country.
They noted that the mass exit of firms coupled with job loss is sending not only wrong signals against new investors, but also to existing investors in the country.
On his part, the President of FOBTOB, Comrade Jimoh Oyibo, who won the second term in office with 220 votes against his opponent, with nine votes, in a chat with me, said he wondered how government thinks
it could grow the economy with taxation. He stressed that "since tax will only push people into poverty than growing the economy, government should fast track its industrialisation to boost employment."
Speaking on Rescuing Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry from the Danger of Collapse: Roles and Expectations of Stakeholders, the participants in the conference expressed surprise over refusal by government to reverse the hike in electricity tariff.
"For a country greatly acknowledged as giant of Africa and blessed with numerous natural resources, notably crude oil, to have degenerated into the level that it now has the awful distinction of being the world capital of poverty with 71 million people living in extreme poverty today, and a total of 133 million people classed as multidimensionally poor according to National Bureau of Statistics data, is a disgrace."
The stakeholders also reemphasised their call on government, noting that exit of multinational companies from the country is not only sending wrong signals to existing investors but scaring away new investors and creating jobs for other countries at the expense of Nigerians.
