Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has commended
the Economic Summit Group (NESG) on the theme of this year's summit which focus
on promoting Made in Nigeria goods.
Saraki who will be a guest at the summit tomorrow noted that
the choice of theme put the private sector group on the same page with the
Senate which has since last year identified the need to promote local
manufacturers and service providers as champions of the efforts to revive the
national economy.
In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity),
Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President stated that the law making institution
in its 20-point recommendations on how to get the nation out of the present
recession mentioned that "we must reduce our imports tremendously and
increase our exports to earn more dollars and the best way to do that is for us
to patronize locally made goods".
"We have therefore amended the Public Procurement Act
to ensure that all government agencies compulsorily patronize local
manufacturers and service producers in all their procurement. They can only
resort to foreign options when there is no local alternative. With this new
law, a huge portion of the national budget will go into the pockets of our
people and generate employment, improve our GDP and help us to be
self-sufficient.
"Other amendments in the Procurement Act reduces the period
of award of contract, make the procurement process more transparent and
increased mobilization fee to up to 25 percent, all in a bid to help our people
just as it is being done in other countries.
"I commend the NESG for their choice of theme and urge
them to discuss how to improve on quality and packaging of locally produced
goods, helping local producers get into foreign markets and sourcing start-up
capitals for small and medium scale entrepreneurs at rock-bottom interest
rates".
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