NBTI calls for laws to boost local content, innovation
By Tolu Aiyegbusi
The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has urged that Executive Orders 003 and 005 be made laws to ensure full compliance by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Dr Kazeem Raji, Director–General of NBTI, made the appeal to the National Assembly during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Executive Orders are not laws but once issued, remain in force until they are cancelled, revoked, adjudicated unlawful, or expire on their terms.
The Executive Order 003 on ICT and local content was signed by former Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo.
It stipulates that all MDAs shall grant preference to local manufacturers of goods and service providers in the procurement of goods and services.
Similarly, Executive Order 005 signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, directs all MDAs to promote the application of science, technology and innovation towards achieving the nation’s development goals across all sectors of the economy.
“This is in the spirit of current efforts of the Federal Government to boost domestic production, grow domestic talents and reform the economy.
“However, turning these Executive Orders into laws or Act of Parliament will make them more effective and enforceable,’’ Raji said.
Raji said Orders 003 and 005, if turned into laws will encourage Nigerians to embrace their own technology and innovations.
“It is not just enough for them to remain Orders alone. They have to become Act of Parliament. So that if they become laws, Nigerians will embrace the indigenous technology,’’ he said.
He said this would lead to increase in patronage with attendant benefits to the nation’s economy.
“If Executive Orders 003 and 005 are made laws, you will be rest assured that capital flight will become a thing of the past.
“We can shore up our foreign reserve, increase GDP, local content production; have more employment opportunities leading to economic development.
“These Executive Orders will no longer be flagrantly violated because there will be consequences,” he said.
He said the Executive Order 003 and 005 exemplified the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to grow domestic production through the patronage of locally produced goods. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Uche Anunne/Joseph Edeh
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