FG Reaffirms Commitment to Private Sector Investment in Healthcare

Gilbert Ekugbe

The federal government yesterday restated its commitment to supporting the Organised Private Sector’s (OPS’) investments in the nation’s healthcare sector.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, explained that the present administration will continue to provide the necessary policy framework and right environment that would stimulate local and foreign investments in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

He stated this at the inauguration of  Katchey Analytical Laboratories in Ikeja and groundbreaking of the proposed Katchey Complex in Magboro Area of Ogun State.

According to him, the ongoing development policy framework for the creation of the Health Industries Corporation of Nigeria (HICON) would respond to the challenges of the health sector, noting that the overall mandate of the policy framework is to ensure availability and affordability of health care in Nigeria.

He assured Katchey and the investing public that federal government’s diversification drive in the health sector will go a long way in reducing health problems in the country.

“My presence here is a sign of fortifying our resolve not only to support you, but also to assure you that my office remains open for further engagements with you as you expand your frontiers in the health care sector,” he said.

He commended Katchey’s investment drive, saying that the groundbreaking will mark the beginning of the collaboration and partnership between the government and the company towards sustainable development growth in the health industry.

Also speaking, the Governor, Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, expressed his commitment to creating the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state, saying that his administration is prioritising investment in infrastructure development to stimulate both local and foreign direct investments into the state and the country at large.

“This complex would strengthen our health care space while also ensuring that whatever goods that comes out of this complex is exportable. There is no better place to situate the investment than the gateway State for industrial development,” he added.

Earlier, the Chairman, the Katchey Group, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa, said the facility is fully equipped with state-of-the-art analytical instruments from the Merck Group based in Germany and Thermo Fischer Scientific of the United States , adding that Katchey Independent Analytical Lab is the first ANAB accredited Independent Analytical Lab in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“Katchey Laboratories are designed to provide quality analytical services for Nigerian businesses in a number of industries including Food & Beverages, Pharmaceutical, Agri-Business, Environmental, Mining & Extractive, Forensic & Genomics and Oil & Gas. The lab is also available for the training and certification of Laboratory Analysts and bio-engineers by our qualified engineers,” he added.

The Chief Executive Officer, Katchey, Mrs. Kate Isa, called on the federal and state governments to address the issue of multiple taxation, saying that there are too many layers of taxes snuffing life out of businesses in the country.

She also stated the need for other arms of government to seriously consider manufacturing concerns in its policy formulation, maintaining that unless government policies intentionally focus on enabling businesses to grow and prosper, the alarming levels of insecurity in every part of the country will continue to increase.

She stated the urgent need to also urgently revamp and modernise the science curriculum for effective teaching and learning of science and technology, pointing out that only Nigerian scientists and innovators will invest their lives and resources to innovate and invent products and services that would solve Nigeria’s unique problems.