By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections and ex-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has decried the exit of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from Nigeria after over 50 years of operation.
Atiku, in a tweet posted on his official Twitter handle on Saturday, expressed concern that the decision of GSK would worsen Nigeria’s already poor employment indices.
He said that the Nigerian government must not only encourage investors to stay but must support their sustainability.
According to him, Nigeria’s current business landscape wasn’t only detrimental to local firms, but also to international enterprises.
He said: “The planned exit of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from Nigeria after more than five decades of doing business in Nigeria underscores how horrific the environment has become for both local and foreign businesses. Sadly, many international firms have, in recent times, sold their assets and bid farewell to Nigeria after several years of operating in our country.
“These exits have led to further loss of jobs in an environment that is already bleeding jobs. We need to do a lot more not only to encourage investors to make Nigeria their preferred destination but also to encourage companies already operating in our land not to “japa.” To this end, we must revamp our infrastructure, endeavor to enthrone a sustainable regime of energy security, and retool our fiscal and monetary policy.”
ASHENEWS earlier reported that GSK announced that it will be winding up operations in Nigeria, in a statement by the Company Secretary, Frederick Ichekwai, sent to the Nigeria Exchange Limited (NGX).
This move would see to the cessation of the commercialization of its prescription medicines and vaccines in Nigeria.
