The Federal Government announced the inauguration of a technical consultative committee to implement strategies for the Presidential Executive Order 5. The FG also announced it would launch six Technology and Innovation Centers (TICs) nationwide.
The Committee was inaugurated on Thursday, by Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
Executive Order 5 was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 5, 2018, with the aim to boost local content in public procurement with science, engineering and technology components.
What the FG said
The Minister, while inaugurating the 204 member committee urged them to be focused and be committed to their mandate of executing the order.
“The committee mandates included deepening knowledge-based economy that is innovation-driven and rapid movement of Nigeria to become an industrialised nation,” he said.
Others include the “creation of enabling environments to mobilise local investment, attract more foreign direct investment and to help achieve economic empowerment of Nigerian professionals and manufacturers,” Onu added.
The Minister urged the committee to be updated on the details of the Executive Order 5 and ensure the full implementation of the order for the benefit of Nigerians, adding that committee members are to work with all stakeholders, professional bodies, contractors, and manufacturers to discover challenges preventing them from participating effectively in the Nigerian economy.
He also revealed that the Ministry will launch six Technology and Innovation Centers (TICs) established by Executive Order 5 in the six geo-political zones of the country to boost the productivity and global competitiveness ranking of the country.
The chairman and coordinator of the Committee Mr Ibiam Oguejiofor stated that the committee is committed to a “bottom to top approach” to implement the order.
In case you missed it
Nairametrics reported last week that the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) urged the Federal Government to monitor the implementation of Executive Order 5, to boost Nigeria’s manufacturing competitiveness and self-reliance.
President of MAN, Mr Mansur Ahmed stated that the FG’s decision to inaugurate the committee signalled President Buhari’s commitment to focus attention on domestic production, citing that the President has since the beginning of his administration left no one in doubt of his determination to ensure that Nigerians consume what they produce and produce what they consume.
He also added that to realise these self-reliance plans, the manufacturing sector must be supported and encouraged by all stakeholders to consume made-in-Nigeria goods and services.
Mr Mansur Ahmed maintained that given the size of the Nigerian market, achieving self-reliance will not only strengthen and deepen our economy but will also position us to play a dominant role in the just established African continental market.
