The managing director of Nestle Nigeria Plc.,Qassim Elhusseini, has advised the federal government to diversify energy and invest in boosting local resources to save the food and beverage industry from collapse.

Mr Elhusseini, who spoke virtually as the keynote speaker, gave the advice at the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) 15th national delegates conference in Asaba on Friday.

The conference had the theme: ”Rescuing the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry from Danger of Collapse”.

The guest speaker said that the industry would rejuvenate if the government could build strong and lasting infrastructure, intensify efforts to strengthen the Naira while improving liquidity.

He said that the industry was faced with various challenges including high cost of raw materials and increase in levies.

”In the last five years, some organisations have had to exit Nigeria.

“Analysis shows that many companies have dwindled because of drop in demand of their products.

”The rising cost of commodities have led to fewer shopping trips or product change because of the price.

“All these are affecting the stability of the industry,” he said.

He added that the government could also delay implementation of all levies, support proposals of the tax committees and ensure aligning of taxes across the country to help stabilise the industry.

Ismaila Abubakar, permanent secretary, federal ministry of labour and employment, urged stakeholders in the industry to take stock of past activities and chart new courses for the future.

According to him, stakeholders play crucial roles in shaping businesses as their influence extends from operational process to strategic decisions, corporate governance and revenue generation.

On the election of new executives, the permanent secretary cautioned that positions in trade unions were to be contested for by members still in active service.

” It is abnormal for a member that has less than three years to vie for a position that will last for four years,” he said.

Also, a deputy comptroller of immigration in Delta, Matthew Izediuno, spoke on the agency’s efforts in ensuring that employers in the food and beverage industry would not abuse the expatriate quota.

Mr Izediuno said: ”We cannot approve an expatriate to be employed for a job a Nigeria can do.

“If we approve a person, it is because the expatriate is coming for a specific period for citizens to understudy the person.

We also frown at a situation where companies employ expatriates for a job and when the person arrives, you find out that the expatriate is doing a different job,” he said.

The deputy comptroller said that it was not a welcome development to employ foreign nationals to occupy positions which citizens could do effectively.

(NAN)