Biodun Bakare
The Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists has called on the Federal Government to interfere in the ownership difference between a pharmaceutical, HealthPlus and it’s fairness investment associate , United Kingdom’s Alta Semper Capital. The Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialist(NASSI) made the invite in a statement signed by its Director-General, Ifeanyi C. Oputa.
According to the association, there is a need for the Federal Government to promote and protect business founded by Nigerians who, in spite of the country’s notoriously difficult business environment, have created thriving concerns.
While admitting that it is yet to have full details of the events leading to the announcement of the sack of Mrs. Olubukola George, as HealthPlus founder, as the company’s Chief Executive Officer by the foreign equity investment firm, NASSI said the Federal Government urgently needs to intervene in other controversial equity transactions involving Nigerian-owned businesses. “We are not fully apprised of the facts and would thus not be drawn into aspects of this case, which Mrs. George is fully capable of defending. NASSI is, however, calling upon the Federal Govt to wade into this matter and indeed other questionable PE (private equity) transactions across Nigeria as a matter of urgency,” stated by NASSI in the statement.
It noted that governments around the globe has always discover clew business players on the local scene and provide correct support for them to develop into multinationals. “Some countries have sent out gunboats and gone to war to protect the interests of these firms because of what they represent to the people and nation-state. The Royal Niger Company (later day UAC), Lever brothers (Unilever) received tremendous state support from our colonial masters. In more recent times, Google, Apple Amazon, Procter &Gamble, Pepsi, Coca Cola and a host of others have been supported by the American Government to the point where the respective US embassies and agencies wade in to resolve commercial disputes in favour of their nationals,” said by NASSI.
