₦airaland Forum

Sylverly:
www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/made-aba-products-local-content-industry-patronage-bill-passes-2nd-reading-nass/

ABUJA—THE Local Content Industry Patronage Bill, otherwise known as Made in Aba Bill, yesterday scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

Buba Jibril (Kogi, APC), who led the debate said that it seeks to make it mandatory for government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to give priority to local manufacturers and indigenous companies in the procurement of goods and services.

Jibril added that the bill also seeks to prohibit the exclusion of locally produced goods in the procurement process.

The lawmaker, who expressed concern that the current procurement process does not favour locally manufactured materials, emphasised that it kills the morale of the local manufacturers.

According to him, it affects negatively the growth and development of local manufacturing industry in the country.

“This bill proposes to reverse the ugly trend to create a favourable atmosphere for the growth of our local industries and make the procurement process more transparent through diversified competition between indigenous and foreign actors"
“The legislative proposal will also create a sense of corporate responsibility by the MDAs towards local manufacturers engaged in the public procurement in Nigeria,” Jibril said.

He further said that the bill will enhance the probity and integrity of the procurement process through effective legal regime that create favourable atmosphere for participation by the local companies.

Contributing to the debate, Rep. Samuel Onuigbo (Abia-PDP) said that the bill will promote local manufacturing as well as facilitate job creation in the country.

According to Onuigbo, if we protect our own we will benefit in many ways including creation of employment, increase in GDP and we will see our economy grow fast.

Rep Abubakar Chika (Niger-APC) faulted the dependence of foreign products and services.

Chika called for attitudinal change among Nigerians in the quest to promote locally made goods in the country.

“We need to change our attitude, we need to seek for services locally instead of training our children abroad and seeking for medical services abroad.