Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has vehemently opposed the admission of Morocco into the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
At its 45th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Thursday in Lagos, MAN also warned the Federal Government against supporting such an idea, revealing that it would have a disastrous effect on the nation’s manufacturers.
Speaking through Frank Udemba Jacobs, its president, MAN said admission of Morocco into ECOWAS would be equivalent to signing the EPA through the back door.
“We therefore urge the Federal Government to vehemently oppose the move as it would spell doom to the productive sector of the economy,” Jacobs said.
“We are aware that Morocco and European Union (EU) have trade agreement, which means if they become part of ECOWAS, products that come into Morocco from EU will end up in Nigeria, after all Nigeria is the biggest market among all these countries in the ECOWAS. So we are vehemently opposed to Morocco being admitted into ECOWAS, it will really affect us badly,” he said.
Moreover, he added, Morocco is not even part of West Africa and so cannot rightly be a part of ECOWAS.
While lauding the FG for the introduction of some policies which have stimulated the economy, MAN appealed that there were still three key challenges that had to be adequately addressed for the nation’s productive sector to boom.
The three major challenges, according to them, are inadequate and unstable power, non-availability of foreign exchange for the importation of essential manufacturing inputs, and the unrestrained high interest rates.
“Therefore, we recommend, as the Association has done in the past and always, a single-digit interest rate,” Jacobs said.
It would be recalled that the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) recently called on the Nigerian government to resist any attempt by other member countries of ECOWAS to admit Morocco into the regional body.
Noting that Morocco, by reason of its geographical location, does not qualify to be admitted into the regional organization, the association, through its founding chairman and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignatius C. Olisemeka, warned that Morocco’s motive was political and aimed at whittling down the strength of Nigeria for her role in the admission of Western Sahara into the then Organization of African Unity (OAU).
The association wondered why the Federal Government has not engaged in a vigorous campaign against Morocco’s move, stressing that the government owes Nigerians an explanation.
Another group, the Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara, also vehemently opposed the admission of Morocco into ECOWAS. The group said the 15-nation West African bloc has little in common with the North African kingdom, especially as it maintains a grip on Western Sahara.
“The move by Morocco to join the ECOWAS is a direct challenge to the leadership of Nigeria in the sub-region,” Dipo Fashina, convener of the group, said in a statement recently.
“Nigeria must rise to the occasion and ensure that the application of Morocco for membership is rejected.”
