By MATTHIAS NWOGU, UMUAHIA
The Director, the National Orientation Agency in Abia State, Mrs. Ngozi Okechukwu, has decried the penchant for foreign goods by Nigerians, describing it as a threat to the growth of the nation’s economy.
Okechukwu said that the ugly trend, which depicted lack of patriotism, needed to be urgently reversed as its negative effects could be enormous.
According to her, it is even ridiculous that some of the preferred imported goods, most often are inferior to the local ones.
Speaking at a sensitisation campaign of Made-in-Nigeria goods organised by the Aba Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, the NOA director said that poor patronage of Nigerian made goods had resulted in the closure of many industries, especially the small and medium scales ones.
She said that in addition, it was responsible for the high unemployment rate in the country, capital flight and dwindling gross domestic product, which had been crippling the nation’s economy.
The NOA director said that there was the need to sustain a national campaign for sensitisation and re-orientation of Nigerians to ensure attitudinal changes toward locally made products.
Besides, she said it was a national pride to patronise local foot wears and local fabrics as being done by citizens in some neighbouring West African countries. She said that it was amusing that Nigerians still patronised foreign rice, and palm oil when the locally produced ones were available, cheaper and more nutritious.
She said that such changes would improve Nigeria’s economic status by improving productivity, create jobs and boost the nation’s pride.
Okechukwu represented by the Deputy Director, Programmes, Elder Linus Chidiebere, said that the commencement of the campaign anew in Aba was fit and proper as the city is Abia state’s commercial hub and a major SME capital of the country.
She, therefore, called on all and sundry to support efforts at promoting Nigerian-made products and services and to confront the dwindling buying power of the naira.
The Second Vice President, ACCIMA, Chief Jerry Kalu, said that the chamber was very glad to host the Aba League of Associations and other partners on this occasion.
He urged government to work very hard to surmount major problems of industrialization, which include poor power generation, poor road networks and high interest rates, if the nation must progress economically.
The Founder/CEO of Innovation Hub and Partner Google Skills in Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Chinagozi, said the sensitisation was part of efforts aimed at informing stakeholders about Google’s launch of its local manufacturers’ community in Aba.
He said that the Google engagement on Digital Skills for Africa through which they intend to train 10 million persons in Africa would enable traders and artisans to boost their business.
Chinagozi said the launch would enable such stakeholders to use the web and internet to grow their business.
