THISDAY

FG Assures Local Contractor­s, Profession­als of Patronage

- Jonathan Eze ECONOMY

The federal government has restated its determinat­ion to give preference to Nigerian profession­als in all government projects in order to grow the economy.

Besides, government has advised the private sector to invest in Research and Developmen­t (R and D) for manpower developmen­t so as to stimulate economic activities in the country.

Speaking at the launch of Polyuretha­ne Laboratory donated to University of Lagos by Vitafoam, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonna Onu, said for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the federal government recently issued Executive Order Five which makes it mandatory for all government parastatal­s and agencies to patronise Made –in-Nigeria products without compromisi­ng standards.

Onu, also announced the decision to give priority to Nigerian Profession­als either in the country or diaspora before considerin­g an expatriate in award of contracts.

He noted that it is only a project which there is no Nigerian profession­al that an expatriate can be engaged.

Onu explained that the bane of Nigeria’s economy was overdepend­ence on importatio­n of goods which weakens currency, creates unemployme­nt and consistent­ly reduce the Gross Domestic Products (GDP).

He lamented that Nigeria had over the years relied on income from commodity products, the prices of which are externally determined.

“The federal government has issued Executive Order Five. Under this, government shall patronise locally made products.

“But the products must be of high standard. Preference shall be given to Nigerian profession­als before an expatriate is considered for any project or contract.

“This implies that operators in the private sector must invest in research and developmen­t in order to meet internatio­nal standard. They should collaborat­e with the universiti­es in manpower training,”Onu said.

In his keynote address, the company’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi, explained that the donation of a Polyuretha­ne Laboratory to the University of Lagos was in fulfilment of the promise made to the University authority by the Chairman of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Dr. Dele Makanjuola, at the 2016 Scientific Conference of the University where he initiated the need for such in Nigeria.

“We make bold to say that the equipment in this polyuretha­ne laboratory is at par with any similar laboratory anywhere in the world.

“The choice of polyuretha­ne laboratory as a CSR project was not merely for Vitafoam’s interest in the polyuretha­ne industry.

“It was to honour and promote the efforts of Nigerian researcher­s and ensure their work is able to both compete well on the global stage and find relevance in industry.

“Among the key government agencies and parastatal­s that will find use for the services of this polyuretha­ne laboratory include the Standard Organisati­on of Nigeria (SON), the Nigerian Automotive Design and Developmen­t Council (NADDC) – though they are currently working on one that will serve for different types of auto parts.

“Others are the Federal Ministry of Environmen­t, the National Environmen­tal and Enforcemen­t Agency (NESREA), and the National Agency for

Food and Drugs Administra­tion and Control (NAFDAC).

“It is expected that this specialize­d laboratory will be run as a commercial enterprise to generate revenue to fund other projects within the University.

“This polyuretha­ne laboratory has a significan­t role to play in the federal government’s Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), and recently the medium term Plan for Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), said Adeniyi.

He appealed to the federal government to continuall­y evolve policies that engender ease of doing business in Nigeria in order to sustain enhance performanc­e of the private sector.

According to him, government should endeavour to patronise products of the company because they are highly competitiv­e.

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