Abuja – In line with the President Muhammadu Burai’s campaign on “Change begains with me”, the House of Representatives on Tuesday mandated the Bank of Industries to assist germent and shoes manufacturers in the country to have access to soft loans, as this will enable them procure modern mechines.
The House also mandated the House commitee on Defence and Industries to ensure that uniforms worn by the Nigeria Army, Navy, Air Force, Customs, Immigration, police, Civil Defence, Prisons as well as Fire Service to be produced in Nigeria.
The House also mandated health institutions to produce and purchase their wears in Nigeria.
These resolutions followerd a motion moved by Rep. Prestige Ossy (Abia) under matters of Public Importance.
According to Ossy, the adverse effect of executing multi billion naira project such as the procurement of military, paramilitry uniforms and sundry clothing items with foreign currencies has a negative effect on the value of Naira.
“The rate of over dependence on foreign markets for the procurement of uniforms and other wears of the Nigeria Militry as well as Paramilitry services as contained in the 2015/2016 Appropriation Bill are alarming.
He said the total amount of money spend by the militry and paramilitry in purchase of wear in 2015 ammounts to 4.3 billion Naira while in 2016 its amounts to 1.6 billion Naira.
He further explained that the figure as proposed in 2016 Appropriation Act when converted to dollars at the current rate of 305 dollars, will amount to 14.1 million dollars.
The lawmaker observed that the practise of importing these uniforms is in sharp contrast with what is obtainable in other countries of the world, who he said produced theirs for their militry and paramilitry personnels.
” We are aware that there are very good manufacturers that manufactured clothes, shoes and wears for the Nigeria Market that can also produce quality informs and sundry wears for officers as well as men of the Nigeria Militry including the paramilitry”.
Ossy further said that if these uniforms and clothigs are indigenously produced, it will increase the productivity of Nigeria’s indigenouse cloth manufacturing factories as they may even produce more of such uniforms for neigbouring countries.
This he said would boast the counties economy and give great value to the Naira and earm foreign exchange to the country.
He said ” In this era of economic meltdown, this administration’s policy of foreign currency conservation cannot be achieved if we continue patronizing the foreign market and trading in foreign currency”.
