Employment model - Disturbed by the rising rate of unemployment in the country resulting in thousands of youth roaming the streets for non-existent jobs, the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has called for the adoption of the Ghana model in tackling the problem.
In a position paper titled 'Building Confidence on Domestic Investment by the Generation of Employment and Creating Wealth Through the Reserve of Small Scale Retail Activity, Petty Trading and Hawking Exclusively for Nigerian Indigenous Operators' addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan, the NCMDLCA expressed dismay that the Nigerian small scale and retail trade is experiencing serious foreign dominance through total control of the manufacturing, distribution, retailing and hawking of trade goods in the local market.
The group, in the position paper signed by its National President, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, and made available to THISDAY, noted that foreign nationals now control the total trading chain including retail and hawking which portends danger to the economy on the domestic retail front, employment and wealth creation.
"The foreign nationals who are moving into our retail trade and hawking business are exposed to foreign capital and better economic climate whose activities are creating serious impact in our trading environment by reducing the active involvement of Nigerians in retail and hawking that should be reserve for Nigeria indigenous operators", it said.
The NCMDLCA argued that the Ghana Investment Promotion Act 478 of 1994 made provisions for the protection of both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaian companies which Nigeria should emulate if she is serious in addressing the root cause of the increasing number of jobless youths on the streets.
According to the position paper, which was also copied to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance; Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Minister of Trade and Investment, among others, there was an urgent need to enact a legislation like the Ghana Investment Promotion Act to protect Nigeria's domestic trading environment that is now under serious threat.
It argued that by so doing, wealth can be created and employment is generated in the Nigerian economy. "With the enactment of the Ghana Investment trade instruments, confidence is built on generation of yet unborn Ghanaians and the domestic economic environment is protected through wealth creation and employment generation", it added.
By John Iwori
This Day/08/03/2013