NASS’ll pass laws to improve ease of doing business – Dogara
From Kemi Yesufu and Magnus Eze, Abuja
The Federal Government has urged states and local governments to embrace Support for local content in public procurement by the federal government, one of the three Executive Orders recently signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
Government also said it would, with time, improve on the policy to cover larger areas.
A key provision of the order is that all ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government shall grant preferences to local manufacturers of goods and service providers in their procurement of goods and services.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the call when he led a team of newsmen to Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited, Nnewi, in Anambra State.
“We will advise state governments and local governments to borrow a leaf from federal government which has signed the executive order which says that local manufacturing must be given preferences. I want to assure you that even as time goes on, we would improve on that executive order and it would cover larger areas and as long as there is capacity from the local industry, they would have a monopoly as time goes on,” Mohammed stated.
Using the words of President Muhammadu Buhari, he described the company as representing the “new Nigeria that we are all clamouring for; a Nigeria that produces what it consumes and consumes what it produces.”
Mohammed also said Innoson clearly depicted the vision of the National Automotive Industry Development Plan to curtail dependence on imports and ensure the growth of the Nigerian automotive industry, using local resources. He said the company was living up to the aims of the policy through creation of jobs, conservation of foreign exchange and acceleration of technical development. The minister assured that the executive order will surely boost the patronage of Innoson’s vehicles and enable the company to grow from strength to strength.
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman/CEO of Innoson Group, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, said the company was yet to meet its installed capacity because of poor patronage, particularly, from government and its agencies.
He also said access to more capital would enable them produce for export.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has assured that the National Assembly will act on bills that will improve Nigeria’s business environment.
Dogara gave the assurance during a ceremony to mark one year anniversary of the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable, (NASSBER) held at the National Assembly, yesterday.
He commended NASSBER for the progress it has made over the last one year and said the group’s efforts would lead to robust and responsive private sector.
“Looking back the last 12 months, NASSBER is a success story of novel synergy, dialogue and engagement between the legislature, development partner, the private sector, the bench and citizens. The National Assembly will continue to play a central role not only in governance, but also, ensure we deliberate and act on frameworks whcih will improve the business environment.” through the review of relevant legislations and provisions of the constitution.
“A little over a year ago when NASSBER was inaugurated, we were very confident it was the right step to
take if we were, indeed, committed to bringing our economy out of recession, and stimulating long term economic growth that is inclusive and sustainable for the shared prosperity of all Nigerians,” Dogara said.