The non-passage of the National Automotive Industry Development Bill (NAIDP), by the outgoing National Assembly, and the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Bill is being linked largely to the internal situation within the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC).
Industry experts who spoke with our correspondent said that the automotive industry in Nigeria has been on a standstill due to internal strife in the council.
They also pointed to the non-completion and commissioning of the emission control centers located in some parts of the country since last year as parts of the internal challenges the council was grappling with.
“The inability of the council to get the NAIDP passed into law is a clear indication that internal tussle for power and control is slowing the NADDC from going ahead with its lofty plans for the industry,” said Chief Eze Chukwu, an auto investor in Lagos.
He pointed to how the contract for a road construction was awarded by NADDC without due process, questioning what the business of the council is with road construction.
In another development, Randy Odogu, an industry stakeholder based in Abuja, said the appointment of a new Director of Finance for the council may be affecting the council.
According to a an ex-employee who pleaded anonymity, the acting director of finance was recently brought in from somewhere outside the NADDC to perfect the objectives of those that sent him.
It was gathered that the Director-General of NADDC, Mr Jelani Aliyu, may not be aware of the massive acts of power tussle that the council was enmeshed in.
Attempts to get the council to respond to these issues were not successful calls made were not returned.
