Patronizing local products and services has been identified as civic responsibility Nigerian citizens must exhibit to revive the patriotic spirit that will eventually uplift their country.
The Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Oyo State, Mrs. Dolapo Dosunmu stated this during the sensitization campaign on patronizing made in Nigeria products held on Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 at the state headquarters of the agency.
Mrs. Dosunmu disclosed that apart from improving foreign exchange, there are other advantages the country will be exposed to.
“We must therefore, learn to boost our domestic production and improve our country’s foreign exchange earnings through promotion of our small and medium local enterprises. This is a way to add value to our economy and boost our nation’s Gross Domestic Product.”
Mrs. Dosunmu maintained that purpose of the sensitization campaign is to showcase some products of the National Youth Service Corps Skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programme which are 100 per cent locally.
She called on producers of made in Nigeria products to always make use of materials with high quality to attract consumers.
Mr. Pacquels Irabor, who is the Oyo State Manager, Bank of Industry, stated that this kind of campaign is very key to expose producers of locally made products to understand market situation before they start to look for capital to expand.
He noted that Nigerians need to patronize what they are producing because a country that fails to consume what it produces is bound to end up in recession.
Mr. Irabor said that the bank has the lowest interest rate and that it is ready to assist them to start, grow and expand their businesses.
In his own presentation, Vice Chairman, Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Lanre Popoola said that the association, as part of efforts to encourage many people becoming manufacturers, has partnered traditional rulers to champion the course within their territories.
Representatives of the Standard Organization of Nigeria, Mr. Jimoh Kamaldeen and representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Titi Matesun also rolled out implications of abandoning local products to foreign ones, how to identify standard products as well as how CBN can assist small medium enterprises.
The event was attended by association of market men and women as well as artisans across Oyo State.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
