Ndubuisi Francis, Michael Olugbode in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos
The Nigerian authorities has placed on maintain, the implementation of the newly launched $10,000 Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL) meant to handle wage gaps between expatriates and Nigerian employees whereas encouraging expertise switch and the employment of certified Nigerians in foreign-owned corporations.
This newest twist on the coverage got here to gentle yesterday, after a closed door assembly of the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Funding, Mrs. Doris Uzoka-Anite; with the Minister of Inside, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the organised personal sector. A joint Committee has additionally been constituted to have a look at the implications of the EEL on the economic system.
Briefing a piece of the media on the sidelines of the assembly, the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Funding stated: “We got here with NACCIMA and the organised personal sector to fulfill with the Minister of Inside to get readability on the EEL and we now have had very partaking and fruitful dialogue.”
Uzoka-Anite added that on the finish of the assembly all events concerned, “agreed to arrange a joint committee to have a look at the implications of the EEL and implement it; pending that, the EEL implementation and rollout will probably be on maintain till the stakeholders convene and meet.”
On his half, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo stated: “That is about stakeholders’ engagement. It’s the primary line by way of the engagement course of and we guarantee you the engagement course of will proceed and on the finish of the day, there’ll solely be one winner, and that will probably be Nigeria.”
President, NACCIMA, Dele Oye, and Chairman, Petroleum Know-how Affiliation of Nigeria (PETAN), Nicolas Odinuwe, who have been each current on the stakeholders assembly, hailed the result of the assembly, describing it a big breakthrough.
Oye, stated he was solely grateful for the federal government’s present stance on the coverage which had obtained knocks from key business gamers and different stakeholders.
In a chat with the media additionally on the sidelines of the assembly, he stated, “our members have been impacted by the proposed coverage. So we wish to use the chance to enchantment to the industrialists and our numerous members that they need to go on doing their enterprise and that the impact or the chance of the proposed coverage will probably be reviewed after we’ve completed the stakeholders engagement.”
In a chat with journalists, Odinuwe additionally stated, “It’s been a really fruitful assembly and I’m proud of the result and see {that a} collaboration now exists between the 2 the ministers that have been concerned in it.
“And I’d hope that the joint committee being arrange will work, shortly to be sure that, all nerves are calm in order that the business can develop.”
