Aliko Dangote, the richest black man in Africa, has urged the Federal Government to prevent the importation of foreign textile materials and anyone found guilty should be arrested without bail, Investors King reports.
The business mogul made the declaration at the 50th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria titled ‘Agenda Setting for Industrializing Nigeria in the Next Decade’.
According to Dangote, if the Federal Government is optimistic about having a prosperous economy, then there need to be laws that will not only discourage the importation of foreign materials but also cancel it out completely.
He said it is crucial for the government to establish a law that would penalize dealers of banned textiles materials.
Dangote said, “For the textile industry, I believe the government should draft legislation in the National Assembly that states that anyone selling prohibited foreign textiles must face prison time without the option of a fine. So it’ll just be going to jail, even if it’s only for two years.
“The real issue in the textile industry is not a lack of less expensive power. The textile will not last if you give them cheaper power but allow the smuggling to continue.”
He said, citizens in the United States and India would dare not go against the laid down rules of their government, and whoever tries such would be jailed.
“Today people would be sent to jail in India for selling foreign textiles anywhere. Also, if something is banned in the United States of America for example, there is no way it could be displayed for sale in a shop.
“But what is stopping the implementation of Nigeria’s government policies is the absence of the political will to make sure that we implement those policies no matter who is going to be upset by us.
“If we have a prosperous environment the insecurity will drop.”