Organised Private Sector (OPS) calls for policies that will grow the economy.

Afolabi Oyekunle.

The Organised Private Sector OPS) aware that the consequences of government policies good or bad have significant impact on her members has outlined some measures the next civilian administration must take to improve and grow the economy as well as measures it will take to make sure they are enforced.

The Organised Private Sector comprises of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), National Association for Small & Medium Enterprise (NASME) National Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and National Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI).

In view of this OPS put together a one day round table dialogue in Lagos organised with the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) National Endowment for Democracy (NED) a USA based democracy and enterprise promotion organisation.

They emphasized the need for the next civilian administration to adopt policies favourable to the private sector by eliminating multiple taxies and levies, cut off corrupt practices, upscale electricity generation to at least 100,000MW.

They also want the economy to be data driven, and also ensure structural reform of fiscal monetary policies for enterprises, address inadequate supply of forex, improve access to long term funding and patronage of made in Nigeria goods local content development.

In its policy document, the Organised Private Sector said to achieve all these it will be seeking to liase with influencer groups to push policy documents they believe will reset the economy if implemented by the next civilian administration.

The Organised Private Sector is considering the Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF) lobby groups and civil societies.

“In every democracy including the advanced countries, there is lobbying. What is missing in our case in Nigeria is that whenever we talk about lobbying people think of corruption. But there is no way we can continue without having a voice in government.”

NECA Director General, Mr Adewale Smart-Oyerinde believes that Nigeria appears to be stuck in the past, utilising ideas that do not correspond with the empirical reality of its current economic state.

Macroeconomic stability he said, can be achieved through a well laid down strategy and plan.

Speaking, Country Director, Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) Lola Adekanye said the private sector is a strong ally in any vibrant democracy around the world and urged the Organised Private Sector not to relent in pushing their position through the government.