FG Canvasses Patronage of Locally Made Automobiles
- By Simeon Ogoegbulem
- Published March 22nd, 2011
- News
- Unrated
THE federal government has challenged Nigerians in both private and public sectors of the economy to patronise locally manufactured automobiles as part of efforts aimed at promoting made-in Nigeria products.
Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, minister of commerce and industry, said the automotive industry has a unique capacity to reduce the army of unemployed youths and further enhance the technological development of the country.
Martins-Kuye, who spoke through Mrs. Josephine Tapgun, minister of state for commerce and industry, noted that the successful campaign for patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods would have multiplier effects on all sectors of the economy.
He however noted that the effects of patronising locally made goods, especially automobiles, would not be felt without the active patronage of government and organised private sector. “In order to realise the government’s set objectives of the local content policy, I wish to urge federal and state ministries, agencies and the organised private sector (OPS) to patronise locally made products of the sector,” he said. “The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is being encouraged to play a vital role in ensuring that MDAs, contractors, banks, joint venture projects source their purchase from the local assembly plants.”
The minister, while stating that the automotive industry was considered strategic to development and economic growth, noted that “the average automobile industry was made up of more than 10,000 parts, sourced from metallurgy, petrochemicals, textiles among others.”
Martins-Kuye also disclosed that as part of federal government’s effort at encouraging small and medium enterprises, the ministry, through Smedan, was striving to ensure that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) surmount the challenges of poor access to affordable finance for their operation through grants from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention funds.
He said Smedan has embarked on one-local-government-one-product project, targeted at the development of selected agro and agro-allied products along cluster lines to revitalise rural communities through the development of rural businesses.
Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, minister of commerce and industry, said the automotive industry has a unique capacity to reduce the army of unemployed youths and further enhance the technological development of the country.
Martins-Kuye, who spoke through Mrs. Josephine Tapgun, minister of state for commerce and industry, noted that the successful campaign for patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods would have multiplier effects on all sectors of the economy.
He however noted that the effects of patronising locally made goods, especially automobiles, would not be felt without the active patronage of government and organised private sector. “In order to realise the government’s set objectives of the local content policy, I wish to urge federal and state ministries, agencies and the organised private sector (OPS) to patronise locally made products of the sector,” he said. “The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is being encouraged to play a vital role in ensuring that MDAs, contractors, banks, joint venture projects source their purchase from the local assembly plants.”
The minister, while stating that the automotive industry was considered strategic to development and economic growth, noted that “the average automobile industry was made up of more than 10,000 parts, sourced from metallurgy, petrochemicals, textiles among others.”
Martins-Kuye also disclosed that as part of federal government’s effort at encouraging small and medium enterprises, the ministry, through Smedan, was striving to ensure that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) surmount the challenges of poor access to affordable finance for their operation through grants from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s intervention funds.
He said Smedan has embarked on one-local-government-one-product project, targeted at the development of selected agro and agro-allied products along cluster lines to revitalise rural communities through the development of rural businesses.
