THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday directed all federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure that henceforth, locally-produced and assembled goods must be given priority in all their procurement.
The Council, chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, said the new policy would help boost employment and stimulate the growth of the nation's industrial sector.
The Council also directed the Office of the National Economic Adviser to undertake a comprehensive review of tariffs to ensure protection of local industries and promote locally-made goods.
This is just as the Minister of Finance, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, told the Council that his ministry is presently working with insurance groups and banks to develop a consumer credit facility that will be limited to made-in-Nigeria products.
Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku, told journalists at the end of the Council session that the new policy will jumpstart the nation's economy to new heights and raise the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to Maku, "today in the Council, Mr. President, in continuation of his promise and determination to promote made-in- Nigeria goods, directed all the MDAs to henceforth ensure that every procurement relating to vehicles, attention must first be given to locally-assembled plants in all public procurement.
"This decision by Mr. President was first issued in Lagos when he met with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). Today in the Council, he emphasised the need for the Federal Government to promote made-in-Nigeria goods. He said in terms of procurement, it was necessary for the Federal Government, especially at this time that we are talking about boosting employment and local production, to patronise those goods and services that are made in the country. So today, MDAs were given directives to ensure that in all future contracts, especially when we need supplies of machinery, efforts must be made to give priority to locally-assembled or produced machines or vehicles.
"Also, he directed the office of the National Economic Adviser to undertake a comprehensive review of tariffs to ensure that we develop a new tariff regime that will protect local industries and promote locally-made goods in Nigeria. This is important because if indeed our industries are to produce again and if we are to encourage employment within Nigeria, it has become necessary to emphasise a change of attitude in preference for those business men and women that have taken their time and resources to invest in the Nigerian economy.
"Also today in Council, the Minister of Finance announced that the ministry is presently working in conjunction with insurance bodies and banks to develop a consumer credit facility that will be limited to made-in-Nigeria products. This is to ensure that consumers are encouraged to buy made-in-Nigeria goods. This development is in process and he said in the following weeks, the public would be briefed about the details and the decisions that will be made to promote made-in-Nigeria products. As we all know, the economy has been picking up at a rate of about 8.5 per cent and if we are to promote economic growth and development and increase the pace of GDP, then emphasis really must be brought back to locally-produced goods and services within the Nigerian economy."
The Council meeting was preceded by the inauguration by President Jonathan of two presidential committees on public sector reforms and security awareness.
The 16-member Committee on Review of Reform Process in the Public Sector, chaired by Adamu Fika, is charged with evolving strategies to re-engineer the public service for better service delivery as well as clear grey areas between the Office of Head of Service and the Federal Civil Service Commission.
The 19-member Committee on Public Awareness on Security and Civic Responsibility, chaired by renowned Islamic scholar, Lateef Adegbite, is to make decisive attempt to engender communal commitment to security and peaceful co-existence.
The President charged both committees to discharge their duties diligently and with patriotism even as he pledged full government support and assistance to them.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Capital Market, Ganiyu Solomon, has said that the National Assembly, especially the Senate, may review the recently-passed 2011 budget because it is still subject to criticisms.
The Senator, who stated this in Lagos, explained that there was every indication that the budget may not have been thoroughly considered by the National Assembly because of the timing.
He told journalists: "I strongly believe we may review the budget. Apart from the fact that members did not pay quality attention since we are all busy with our election matters and nobody will blame us for that; it is still subject to criticisms from different quarters of the system. And, the moment we return after the elections, especially with new members, we may be compelled to review it in the overall interest of all," he said.
He posited that the passage of the budget came at a time members of the Legislature were busy coordinating their election campaigns in their various constituencies and that members may not have critically dissected it.
On the state of the nation, Solomon, who represents Lagos West Senatorial District, noted that the prevalent indiscipline in the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is largely responsible for the lack of development in the country. He said a situation where the party's supremacy exists only on paper, then, leadership acts in vain.
The Senator, who expressed confidence in the ability of his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to spring surprises in the forthcoming elections, cited instances where the PDP leadership would give a certain directive, and its members in key government positions would flout the orders, giving various excuses. That aside, he described as worrisome, situations where substantive and junior ministers disagree on same issues as if they are of different political parties.
Developments such as these, Solomon said, were responsible for the prevalent under-development in the country either on the altar of politics or muscle-flexing between two senior government officials. He said as chairman of Senate Committee on Capital Market, he has had the opportunity through oversight functions to see some of the many problems of the country, majority of which still boil down to indiscipline.
"You'll be forced to wonder, if indeed, these people belong to the same party. Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua had partly resolved this unnecessary rivalry when he gave specific schedules to all ministers with strong warning that no one must cross the borderline. But President Goodluck Jonathan appears indifferent and this is why you see some ministers arrogantly saying I am the minister as if the other is his subject.
"Such indiscipline is what is manifesting in the under-development of the country and it is an indication of the lack of cohesion in the PDP," he added.
Source: Govt orders priority for locally-made goods in ministries, others (http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43322:govt-orders-priority-for-locally-made-goods-in-ministries-others&catid=1:national&Itemid=559)
They should match words with actions