Ogun State Government is ready to collaborate with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and any organisation that will checkmate the activities of manufacturers of substandard products, who engage in unhealthy competition with the aim of undermining the efforts of local industries.

This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola, while hosting a delegation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, led by its South-West Coordinator, Janet Odo, at his office in Abeokuta, expressing the present administration’s determination to guard against any circumstance that would adversely affect local manufacturers.

Dr. Aikulola decried the moves of some manufacturers who paraded themselves as foreign producers but were out to drive local industries out of business, thereby affecting their means of livelihood, recalling that ‘Adire’ fabric, which is known to have originated from Abeokuta, was almost in extinction before the inception of the present administration which wisely introduced the ‘Adire’ fabric as Friday wears for Civil Servants, as a measure towards salvaging the product, among other efforts.

He pointed out that ‘Gari Ijebu’ and ‘’Ofada’ rice which were popular local products of Ogun State were facing similar threats from some large-scale foreign manufacturers, explaining that government was not averse to healthy competition, but would not accommodate any foreign competitor, whose aim was to fill the market with fake products that could ultimately destroy local industries.

Earlier, Janet Odo, promised that the agency would intensify efforts on sensitisation and advocacy, adding that Ogun, being the industrial capital of the country was important in the programmes of the Commission.