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As controversy continues to surround the announcement of the ban on vehicles importation into Nigeria through the land borders as from January 1, 2017, the Nigerian Government, weekend, said it was fine-tuning its procurement policy to encourage preferential purchase of locally-assembled vehicles by Government Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) .
President Muhammad Buhari disclosed this through his Senior Special Adviser on Legal and Electoral Matters, Barr. Juliet Ibekaku, at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Eastern Vehicle Assembling Limited (EVAL) and launch of EVAL vehicles in Enugu, the Enugu State capital. While justifying the decision to ban importation of vehicles through the land borders, President Buhari said it was to encourage patronage of locally assembled vehicles, create jobs and move Nigeria’s economy forward.
The President, who also commended EVAL for believing in his Administration by embarking on the huge investment,however assured that an enabling environment would be put in place by the Federal Government to encourage and protect the local assembling plants.
His words: “I commend the commitment of Eastern Vehicle Assembly Limited to key into the economic development agenda of this administration by building a vehicle manufacturing assembling plant in Nigeria. Federal Government is solidly behind this project and will do everything to support you. We assure you that we will create enabling environment to protect your investment.
“We are already fine tuning our procurement policy to support preferential purchase of local vehicles. We are optimistic that in no distant time the support we are giving the automotive sector will generate more jobs and career employment for our young and teeming youths as well as drive the economy. The recent ban on importation of vehicles through land boarders will further encourage Nigerians to patronize our local assembled vehicles like EVAL.”
Also speaking at the occasion, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Sam Ogbu, said: “This is yet another welcome addition to the burgeoning business environment in Enugu State and an apparent indication that the efforts of Federal Government and our own efforts, to encourage both local and foreign investment in the state, are yielding desired results despite the current economic difficulties in the country.”
His Abia State counterpart, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who was represented by the State deputy governor, Sir. Udeh Oko Chukwu, promised to make EVAL Vehicles official cars in the State, saying : “We in Abia State have placed emphasis on locally made goods. We promise to make EVAL Vehicles our official cars once the project takes off in Abia State.”
Executive Director, Corporate Banking and Treasury, Keystone Bank, Mr. Afeez Bakare, disclosed at the ceremony that Keystone Bank was backing the project financially in order to provide employment for Nigerian youths.
According to Bakare, “This is a project we believe will create job opportunity for our teeming youths. We know how much emphasis this government places on youth employment. This is why we decided to key in and contribute our own quota to sustain the economy.”
Welcoming his guests to the event in an earlier speech, Managing Director of EVAL, Mr. Joseph Okechukwu, said the investment was in response to the need to open up the South east region to investment, assuring that EVAL Vehicles are of international standards.
“There is nothing you need in a car that is not available in all of our products; you are warned before any accident occurs. Eastern Vehicle Assembling Limited will create 1, 450 for youths in both Abia and Enugu States, we call on other state governments to borrow this kind of ideals to create jobs for their youths as well as adopt EVAL vehicles as their official cars,” he said.
Courtesy: Daily Times.ng
