FG orders MDAS to give priority to indigenous professionals in projects

THE Federal Government has directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDA) to give priority to indigenous professionals for planning, design and execution of national projects, admonishing that foreign professionals should only be considered where it had been certified that the expertise was not available.

Speaking at the Inauguration of the Presidential Monitoring and Evaluation Council of the Executive Order 5 at the State House, President Muhammadu Buhari said: “The Federal Government will introduce Margin of Preference in National Competitive Bidding in contracts, in the evaluation of tenders, from indigenous suppliers of goods manufactured locally over foreign goods.’’

“All MDAS shall ensure that any professional practicing in Nigeria must be duly registered with the appropriate regulatory body in Nigeria. All MDAS shall ensure that for all consultancy contracts awarded to foreign companies, engineering drawings, necessary calculations, design, etc are made available to their corresponding Nigerian partners, including arrangements with Small and Medium Enterprises ( SMES) as partners towards local production of needed materials,’’ he said.

Accordingly, he explained that the Executive Order No 5 was aimed at placing Nigerian professionals and manufacturers at the centre of the Nigerian Economy.

The President noted that the Executive Order 5 will be used by the administration to midwife a new beginning that would transform Nigeria's economy from resource- based to a knowledge based and innovation driven.