The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged Nigerians to come to terms with the present economic realities and embrace Made-in-Nigeria products as part of a new set of acceptable attitudes to help the economic development of the nation.
Director General of NOA, Garba Abari made the call in Abuja when the Buy Naija Project team paid him a courtesy visit, saying that the climatic condition of the nation gave it a comparative advantage in the production of cotton and other products, but regretted that Nigerians still had great appetite for foreign goods. He said the fight against corruption is not a one-man fight but for all, noting that that the era of free lunch is over, hence Nigerians must return to attitudes that will make citizens accept the patronage of local products to help grow our economy.
Abari stressed that as hard working people, Nigerians have no business being corrupt to earn a living, describing the Buy Naija Project as a welcome ideal to reawake our consciousness of Nigerians and instill patriotism that will bring the nation back to the way of industrialization. He said the Project will help Nigerians imbibe the right attitude and develop their country by themselves.
In his words: “We must take ownership of fight against corruption as a way to help defeat the scourge that has eaten deep into our national fabric. NOA will use its robust structure down to the lowest strata of the society, its mobilization strength and committed staff to carry out this patriotic duty, of sensitizing Nigerians to embrace Nigerian goods, to every nook and cranny of the country”.
In a remark, the Buy Najia Project Chairman, William Otabil said Buy Naija was a concept promoted to help galvanize support for the patronage of locally produced goods to boost export and increase earnings for the growth of our country.
Otabil informed the Agency that Buy Naija has entered into agreement with the Ministry of Trade and Investment to create micro finance clusters in all 774 Local Government Areas of the country and outline the disadvantages of dependence on foreign good. He said the Project was also planning to launch a one-stop shop data base to give detailed insight into goods and services produced locally.