Between 2015 and 2016, the Federal Government spent N4. 9 billion on the procurement of military and paramilitary uniforms and allied materials from foreign countries.

The procurement of the items including footwear, berets, belts, cardigans, head warmers and branded stockings, from foreign markets is now a source of concern to the House of Representatives.

A member of the House, Mr. Prestige Ossy (Aba: Abia: APGA) drew the attention of his colleagues to the development via a motion of urgent public importance at the plenary session presided over by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.


He said the rate of dependence on foreign markets for almost everything used in Nigeria had become alarming.
Shedding light on the expenditure, Ossy disclosed that the N4. 3 billion spent on the items in 2016, when converted to dollars at the current rate of N305, amounted to $14. 1 million while the N1. 6 billion earmarked in the 2015 budget at the benchmark rate of N197 per dollar amounted to $8. 1 million.

He expressed the fear that if patronising foreign markets and trading in foreign currency continued, there was no way the government policy of foreign currency conservation could be achieved.

According to Ossy, such uniforms and other items could be produced locally and procured from indigenous markets at far more reduced prices. He said it behoved the government to put in place palliative measures in the form of grants and loans to empower indigenous textile factories to meet local demand for such clothing and other material needs of Nigerians.

According to Ossy, if the items were manufactured locally, it would boost the economy by way of foreign exchange.

The lawmakers adopted the motion and mandated the Bank of Industry to assist producers of garments, shoes and other materials with soft loans to procure modern machines.

They also mandated the House Committee on Defence and Industries to ensure that uniforms and other materials of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Customs, Immigration, Police, Civil Defence, Nigerian Prison Service and Nigerian Fire Service as well as health workers were produced locally.

SAUCE

Ossynachi, do not put your brother ellovee in trouble oo

This underscores the level of unseriousness on the part of our government.
This is the same govt that launched the "change begins with me" campaign, but could not demonstrate the chance in them.
How can we come out of this economic recession when those with this kind of mentality continue to manage and run the economy?

What do we have ordnance corps for

brightballer:
Ossynachi, do not put your brother ellovee in trouble oo

Ain't scared of Buhari's undemocratic attitude

Asuokaa:
What do we have ordnance corps for

Good question

ellovee:
Ain't scared of Buhari's undemocratic attitude

Gbam! Strong Man!!

NEED TO REDUCE EXPENDITURE BY PROCUREMENT OF MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY UNIFORMS AND OTHER CLOTHINGS APPARELS FROM INDIGENOUS MARKET
LEAD DEBATE:


Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, it is a well-known fact that the uniforms and other wearing Apparels of officers and men of the Nigerian Military and Paramilitary Services are produced and procured from Foreign markets and in Foreign Currency. This has been the age long practice, however owing to the present economic realities, it is essential that an end be put to this practice.

Needless over emphasizing the fact that our economy is in recession and as the Representatives of the people we must not wait for our economy to hit the rock before we do all within our reach to savage the situation.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, We must be proactive in the quest to save our crashing economy. Being proactive entails the act of creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened. Having said this, it is my position and view that the uniforms and other wearing Apparels of officers and men of the Nigerian Military and Paramilitary Services should going forward be produced and procured from the indigenous market. By saying uniforms and other wearing Apparels, I simply refer to the entire clothing of officers and men of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air force, Police, Customs, Immigration, Security and Civil Defence Corps, Prisons, Fire Service, Road Safety even the National Youth Service Corps members including their berets, Shoes, Crested Vests and stockings, Belts, Cardigans and Head Warmers etc.

It is a notorious fact that the entire Military comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force have about five different sets of uniforms and other wearing apparels for their officers and men. In the same vain, some Paramilitaries like the police also have about five different sets of uniforms and other wearing apparels while others have two sets or more. All these uniforms at present are being procured from foreign markets and in Foreign Currencies and this is in sharp contrast with what is obtainable in other parts of the world.

We are all aware of the fact that one of the major economic agenda of the present administration is diversification and conservation of Foreign currency. Unfortunately we cannot conserve foreign currencies if we continue relying on the foreign market for almost everything used and consumed in Nigeria, particularly the clothing and other wearing Apparels of officers and men of the Military and Paramilitary. In the light of this, it is more imperative at this point to take a stand for the good of the entire good and lovely people of Nigeria and our ailing economy.

We can borrow a leaf from other countries of the world that produces their own military and paramilitary uniforms. The global best practice today is for countries (both developed and developing) to strengthen their economy by investing in and patronizing indigenous markets and one of the ways of doing that is to procure military and paramilitary uniforms and other wearing apparels from indigenous market.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan has a very vibrant textile industry that has over the years contributed immensely to their economic growth. Pakistan remains one of the few countries that produce their own military and paramilitary uniforms. As a matter of fact, Pakistani factories produces and supplies military combat uniforms to many other countries in Asia and Africa.

CHINA

China also produce their own Military and paramilitary uniforms. And apart from this fact, China also produces military combat uniforms for other countries in Asia including Australia.

FRANCE

In France today, all military and paramilitary uniforms are manufactured and produced in France.

India and Brazil are some other countries of the world that produce their own Military and paramilitary uniforms. The question that then comes to mind is if Pakistan, France, China, India and a host of other countries can produce their military and paramilitary uniforms, why can’t we do the same.

A CASE FOR INDIGENOUS CLOTH MANUFACTURERS
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, permit me to bring to the fore the fact that in Nigeria today, there are over a thousand and one Indigenous cloth and other wearing Apparels manufacturers who if and when contracted can conveniently kit the entire officers and men of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air force as well as those in the Paramilitary and of course the National Youth Service Corps members. The underlying advantages of patronising our Indigenous cloth and other wearing Apparels manufacturers are huge and enormous. For example, if we patronise the Indigenous cloth and wearing Apparels market, we will procure these uniforms and other wearing Apparels with our currency and this will go a long way in adding value to the Naira, strengthening our economy and conserving the Foreign currency. Moreso, we would in the light of this administration’s change agenda diversify our economy by encouraging and empowering the Indigenous cloth and other wearing Apparels manufacturers as they may even go as far as producing these uniforms and other apparels for officers and men of the neighbouring Countries’ Military and Paramilitary, thereby creating job opportunity and generating more revenue for the country.

A CASE FOR ABA MANUFACTURERS
May I at this point make a case for the good and industrious people of Aba who I represent. I know as a matter of fact that there are numerous cloths and other wearing Apparels manufacturers in the lovely city of Aba who can produce quality and befitting Cloths, Shoes, Belts, Berets, crested Vests and Stockings, Cardigans and Head warmers etc. For the entire Military and Paramilitary personnel in Nigeria including members of the National Youth Service Corps for lesser amount compared to what has been proposed in the 2016 Appropriation Act. All that is needed is for these entrepreneurs to be empowered so as to ensure product consistency and quality.

THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT

The role of the Government in ensuring the sustainable growth of indigenous cloth manufacturers cannot be overlooked as the Government must put in place palliative measures towards ensuring that such indigenous manufacturers are empowered and an enabling environment must be created to enable the growth and development of the industry in Nigeria.

I therefore propose the provision of direct support for cloths and other wearing apparels manufacturers through the provision of grant and loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bank of Industry and other financial institutions on a single digit interest rate.

Though I concede that this sought arrangement might lead to the proliferation of Military and Paramilitary uniforms, I make bold to say that even now that these uniforms and other wearing apparels are imported into the country, they sometimes still fall into the wrong hands. Having said that, I would rather suggest that strict regulatory measures be put in place to guard against the proliferation of these uniforms. In this regards, I suggest that only accredited and certified manufacturers be empowered to indigenously produce the uniforms and other wearing apparels of officers and men of Nigerian Military and Paramilitary.

CONCLUSION

Mr. Speaker, Dear Honourable Colleagues, without wasting our precious time, I want to believe that we are all aware that the need to conserve foreign currency and diversify our economy cannot be over emphasized, particularly at this time when the entire nation is battling Economic Recession. I believe that we as the elected Representatives of the people will take a giant step towards winning the war against economic recession if we harken to this clarion call by encouraging Indigenous market participation in our country.

Mr. Speaker, Dear Honourable Colleagues, I invite you all to lend your support to this Motion, while hoping and praying that our country Nigeria will indeed get better.

Thank you all.



Hon. Prestige Ossy