The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has urged Nigerians to
patronise made in Nigeria goods with a view to creating employment and
strengthening the country’s economy.
Mrs Buhari made the call when she inaugurated the Made in Nigeria
Tomoto Paste Factory, Erisco Foods Limited, on Thursday in Lagos.
She said that the need to patronise Nigerian goods had become
necessary as it would encourage the production of local farm products
and improve the health of citizens.
She also urged manufacturing companies in the country to emulate
Erisco company by using locally available raw materials to produce their
goods to ensure economic development.
She added that ``I believe this is part of the change process which the present administration is all about.
``The event we are witnessing today is not only unique but also
important because this company is able to produce 450,000 tonnes of
tomato paste using local tomatoes.’’
She then commended the company for donating food items to Internally
Displace Persons (IDPs) in the North East and also for providing
employment to youths.
The Chief Executive Officer of Erisco Foods Limited, Mr Eric Umeofia,
urged the Federal Government to sustain the formulation of positive
policies that would enhance the production capacity of manufacturers.
He said that the foreign exchange restriction of 41 items from the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official corridor had saved the country in
foreign exchange and compelled Nigerians to patronise home-grown foods.
Umeofia said that the company had fast track its backward integration
programme by developing a technology that synchronised its existing
machines to produce tomato paste directly from fresh tomatoes to tomato
paste and tomato ketchup.
He said ``the Erisco Foods Revolution in tomato paste production will
stop the annual wastage of over 75 per cent of fresh tomatoes across
Nigeria.
``If we continue with the good policies of the present
administration, there will be nothing like tomato glut anywhere in
Nigeria in the next two years.
``We as off-takers will produce and process to meet our local demands
and export to earn foreign exchange, provided government continues to
support us.
``Our backward integration programme is planned for Jigawa, Sokoto
and Katsina and will generate employment for 50,000 Nigerians within
three years.’’
According to him, the company has an installed production capacity of
450,000 tonnes per annum in its Lagos factory alone, making it the
biggest in Africa and the fourth largest in the world.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal,
said government would continue to support the development of indigenous
businesses to make production of local materials profitable.
Lawal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Economic
Affairs Office, Mr Williams Alo, said the current economic reality
called for decisive policy thrust to address issues which must be
pragmatic enough to leverage on.
He said that ``the major concern of government is to continue to make
policies and reforms, as well as stabilise the economic fundamentals
and also to provide the necessary infrastructural platforms for
industries to thrive on.
``Government will continue to intervene in policy formulation toward
protecting our national interest and in the process, provide conducive
atmosphere that will make production in Nigeria attractive and worth
engaging.’’
On his part, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr
Okechukwu Enelamah, said Nigeria imported 150 million tonnes of
concentrated tomatoes worth N170 million into the country annually.
Enelamah, who was represented by Alhaji Aminu Bisala, Permanent
Secretary in the ministry, said that the local production of tomato
paste would save Nigeria huge foreign exchange and create employment for
its teeming population.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, urged the company to
observe the norms of good manufacturing practices in their production to
ensure safe food for human consumption.
Adewole, who was represented by the Director, Food and Drug Services
Department in the ministry, Mrs Anthnia Opara, urged manufacturers in
the country to fully implement the National Policy on Food Safety to
ensure safety standard.
Mrs Buhari also visited the mother of the Vice President, Mama
Olabisi Osinbajo at the Obanikoro area of Lagos, who celebrated her 83th
birthday on Feb. 16. (NAN)
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