Worried by the prevailing hash economic situation in the country, the Managing Director of Kuka Consumer Healthcare Limited, an indigenous pharmaceutical company, Chris Ukah, has appealed to Nigerians to support efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari – led government so as to put the nation’s economy on the path of sustainable recovery.
During a courtesy visit to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Ukah noted that the current administration has left no one in doubt about its commitment and passion to courageously establish concrete programmes and policies that will speed up the process of jump starting the Nigerian economy in record time.
Similarly, Adesina who commended the board and management of PharmaTimes Limited during the visit assured that the Federal Government under the watch of President Buhari is committed to improving the health and living standards of Nigerians. He however, recommended PharmaTimes publication to the reading public. Ukah, who is also the Publisher of PharmaTimes Health Newspaper, also noted that those who are blaming the current administration for depreciation of the Naira may have been ill-informed just as he explained that the current import (tariff) regime on pharmaceutical products such as the ECOWAS Common External Tariff Policy is a welcome development.
He commended the policy which places a zero percent import tariff on finished drugs, stating that this should be applauded. ‘’With the slide in oil prices in the international market, nations across the world that are heavily dependent on it as a major source of income are currently facing difficult times and Nigeria is no exception.
In the Nigerian case, oil accounts for about 85 per cent of our foreign exchange earnings with high import dependence. We feel rather that indigenous manufacturers and entrepreneurs like in the pharmaceutical sector should be encouraged as part of government diversification policy framework”,Ukah said. Describing Nigeria as an investment destination with high potentials, Ukah, expressed the hope that the change mantra of the present administration manifesting in the courageous implementation of the current ban on certain products should equally be sustained. According to him, Nigeria has no business in importing finished products that can be easily produced locally.
The on-going efforts of President Buhari to rid the country of corrupt practices, he noted, will ultimately enhance the stimulation of the much needed Foreign Direct Investments into Nigeria which he said was imperative in aiding the country to break-away quickly from the present poor state of affairs.
He explained that his team was in Aso Rock to support the present administration in its determination and commitment to better the lot of Nigerians through the initiation of an all-inclusive health policy. The PharmaTimes publisher used the occasion of the courtesy call to intimate Mr. Adesina on the rationale behind the publication which he said aimed at stimulate a knowledge-based and enlightenment driven health communication attitude among majority of the reading public especially on aspects of health needs that are of concern and importance to them and also at the forefront of agenda setting for health regulators and promoters in Nigeria.
He was accompanied on the visit by the Chairman, Editorial Board of PharmaTimes, Pharm (Chief) Victor Amuta who also assured that the medium is committed to partnering with the Ministry of Health in the promotion and dissemination of policies and programmes of government as it relates to health, across to the majority of Nigerians. Highlight of the visit was the presentation of copies of PharmaTimes to Mr. Adesina by Pharm Chris Ukah.
Vanguard
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