Osinbajo Advocates Patronage of Nigeria Goods As C'tte Proposes 'Wear Naija Day'

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN)

VICE President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has called on Nigerians to consider patronage of locally made goods as means of contributing to economic growth and promoting local industries to compete with counterparts across the globe.

 

In a statement by his spokesperson, Osinbajo said this on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja during a meeting with industry stakeholders and members of the Implementation Committee on the National Cotton, Textile and Garment Policy adding that the Federal Government is working assiduously to bring smuggling to rapid end.

“Nigerians buying Nigerian products is very important and it goes beyond the symbolism of wearing Nigerian-made dresses. It is important for our economy and well-being. It is up to all of us to see that this particular initiative works, we have talked enough”, the Vice President reportedly said.

Members of the Implementation Committee drawn from both public have highlighted a number of strategies for the revival of the cotton, textile and garments industries including the promotion of Nigeria-made dresses among others which it proposes a “Wear Naija Day,” where public officials and employees of corporate organisations would put on locally made fabric.

According to reports, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had articulated a new policy to revamp the industries through a number of interventions including battling smuggling in order to attain a 15% reduction by next year, facilitating assess to funding for the sector, addressing the challenges of energy, lifting the ban on importation of finished products and using the duties and levies raised therefrom to support the industries, among several other strategies.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Aisha Abubakar explained how the ministry came up with the Cotton, Textile and Garment policy, CTG in order to provide stating that it was aimed to have a suit of interventions holistically across the value chain, including encouraging local patronage, controlling smuggling, production of improved seedling, cost of energy, cost of funds, training and upgrading and modernization of infrastructure.