By Merit Ibe
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Federal Government to execute strict compliance to the Executive Order 005 by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), calling for defaulters to be sanctioned.
To grow the economy, create jobs and increase contribution to government’s revenue, the association said the manufacturing sector must be supported to scale production through increased capacity utilisation and adequate patronage.
President of MAN, Mansur Ahmed, who made the remark at a 3-Day Made-in-Nigeria exhibition in Lagos, being part of activities to mark the association’s 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM), noted that MAN has in the past four years organised exhibitions in furtherance of its patronage of Made-in-Nigeria campaign.
He explained that the Executive Order 003 and 005 exemplified the commitment of the Federal Government to grow domestic production through the patronage of locally produced goods, saying, “It is in this regard that the Presidential Committee on the monitoring of the implementation order 005 should be called to action.
“The committee which is chaired by the president and anchored by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, should be mandated to ensure strict compliance with the order. MDAs that fail to comply with the Order should be sanctioned accordingly.”
He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has consistently maintained that Nigerians should consume what they produce and produce what they consume, adding that the exhibition is a demonstration of the capacity of the manufacturing sector to consume what it produces.
The MAN boss posited that the policy environment is the first determinant of a successful economy and emphasised the need for these policies to be sustained, calling for policies on taxation, financial services sector that would make credit more affordable and accessible.
Monsur also called for an end to petroleum subsidy and the funds be used in the real sector that produces and exports.
“More companies should come on board rather than rise in the statistics of those shutting down. What we need is policies to sustain the ones that are available.”
On his part, the Director General of the association, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the level of penetration of made-in-Nigeria goods was commendable, going by the good quality of Nigerian products, being controlled by SON for safety and quality assurance.
He noted that manufacturers were very resilient in spite of the inclement operating environment and smuggled inferior products.
“We’ve also had a lot of awareness with campaigns and patriotic things we have been doing to promote employment. Lots of capital expenditures on budget but the executive orders make us expect that the agencies responsible for its monitoring and implementation would get to work.
“They should sharpen monitoring process so that MDAs, the National Assembly that do not comply are held accountable. All tiers of government should patronise made-in-Nigerian products. government should demonstrate leadership by purchasing made -in- Nigerian products.”