NASS Mulls Implementation Of Local Content In Engineering Projects, Says Lawan
PRESIDENT of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has indicated that the 9th National Assembly might take up the issue of local content with the executive arm to ensure that Nigerian engineers take charge of all engineering projects in the country.
He spoke in Abuja at the launch of a book titled ‘Engineering and Sustainable Rural Development In Nigeria’, which was authored by Ahmed Amshi, an engineer. Lawan, however, noted that even without insisting on local content, giant construction companies in the country use Nigerian engineers to execute the bulk of their contracts in the country.
“I believe in local content and I think it is high time we insisted on local content when it affects engineering projects in this country,” Lawan said on Thursday night.
He said Nigerians had always given good accounts of themselves in all fields of endeavour anywhere in the world.
He urged Nigerians to believe in themselves as the only ones that could develop Nigeria.
“Nigerians are the people to develop Nigeria. Nobody else will help us develop our country. Nobody will get us out of our misery, our challenges, but ourselves. So, we should believe in ourselves,” Lawan said.
Commenting on the title of the book, he said for Nigeria to develop, the process must start with the development of the rural areas where the bulk of the population resides.
“Therefore if there is anything we have to do, it is for us to target the rural areas. Our farmers deserve every intervention. Our farmers and those in rural areas deserve every kind of subsidy.
“Other countries have achieved greatness because they faced the reality of development. They subsidise farming, particularly those that have chosen to stay in the rural areas.
“Therefore as a government, we don’t have too many options but to face the reality that the rural areas have to be attended to properly,” Lawan said.