As the National Assembly (NASS) moves to pass the new tax bills at the end of this month, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has emphasised that midstreaming the interest of the country’s manufacturing sector is very critical in whatever reforms that are being passed by the lawmakers.

MAN insisted that any economy that does not have a virile manufacturing sector that supports national growth is on the verge of collapse, thereby urging NASS not to delay the tax reform bills passage for the posterity of Nigerians.

The Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, in an interview with New Telegraph in Lagos, said that the early passage of the new tax reform bills was the only way to meet President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda and others.

He said: “The manufacturing sector is very critical. I have always said that manufacturing is not like any other business. It is a strategic choice that the nation has to make.

If you are industrialized you are wise. “I am not aware of any economy in the world that does not have a virile manufacturing sector that supports it’s national growth.

“In this part of the world we have a very big population 250 million people where are you going to get people employed? Where are you going to get the inclusive growth?

“Where are you going to achieve the N1 trillion economy that Mr President aspired to? Who is going to get the N1 million jobs Mr President is looking for? “Except you midstream the interests of the sector in whatever reforms you are making.

And that speaks to why MAN and other organised private sector is actively involved. “In fact, I believe that tax is so important whether or not the Committee should call you, you should be the one to even go to the Committee and say I have issues?

And am aware that the Committee actually received requests for consultation. “And effectively consulted with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government, private sector group and professional groups and they offered excellent advice to the Committee.”

He continued: “I, for instance, had fantastic opportunities to lead my sectoral groups to had a conversation with the Committee. And like I said we are satisfied with the Committee’s recommendations.”

While speaking on MAN’s support for the new tax reform bills, Ajayi-Kadir noted: “Certainly MAN has always been in lieu in terms of arriving at the conclusion of the Committee.

Like it’s been widely publicised and I think the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms has also mentioned.

“Apart from the fact that the business community is ably represented in the Committee, there were several platforms that Committee engaged us manufacturers both at sectoral level and even in terms of location we have the inputs derived from the North, the West, the East and the South.

“We professionals also had sectors that have specific issues discussed with the Committee and we have been able to arrive at positions effectively reflected in the output. “I believe in the consultation of this Committee.

And in my adult life, I have never seen a Committee that consulted this widely. Apart from the composition of the Committee itself, there were several segments even the students were represented in the Committee.

“We’ve also had professionals consulted. The State Governors were also consulted. I am aware on that on several occasion the Committee was to meet with the Governor’s Forum maybe, because of the exigencies of office they couldn’t honoured such invitations.

“But I am aware that more than four times they have attempted to meet. And also we had the States Internal Revenue Service they also have some representatives on that Committee. “So I believe that they had a wide range of consultation.

“But the truth of it is that consultation is a continuous process. And you may even consult with somebody last month and maybe the objective condition under which you agreed has changed. “So we must continue to refine the process.

We must continue to work on the bills such that when it is eventually passed it will represent our collective wisdom and agreement.”