WorldStage– The House of Representatives Committee on Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Friday urged Nigerians to patronise home products to grow industries and check unemployment.
Ms Boma Goodhead, the Chairman of the committee who made the appeal when members of the committee visited John Zobis Group of Companies at Okoti-Odekpe in Ogbaru Local Government of Anambra said that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for industrial transformation was to promote, monitor and strengthen local content participation nationwide.
The company is into the production of cables, electrical equipment, including bulbs, engineering oil and gas, among others.
Goodhead said that the oversight visit was to ascertain the company’s challenges as the current administration meant well for local manufacturers in the country.
According to her, the visit is to ensure that the renewed national drive for industrial transformation is achieved unhindered.
Goodhead said the President’s directive, particularly those in oil and gas, power and manufacturing sectors was sacrosanct and all must patronise locally manufactured goods and services.
“The President directives is a strategic path to sustainable economic growth, job creation and to be technologically self-reliant.
“This committee will continue to provide the legislative muscle and oversight framework needed to ensure its full implementation across Nigeria’s industrial ecosystem.
“ By shining a spotlight on companies like Zobis Cable, we are sending a clear message that the era of dependency on imported cables and electrical materials must give way to a home-grown technological advancement.
“John Zobis Cable is a strong demonstration of Nigerian resourcefulness, technical excellence, and commitment to national industrial growth based on the acceptance of its products in Africa and beyond,” she said.
Goodhead commended the management and staff of the company for its remarkable industrial strides and adherence to the principles of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.
She said that the scale of investment of the company showed that indigenous manufacturers were ready to compete globally if given the right policy support, visibility and access to the value chain.
Goodhead said the management through the distribution of modern production technologies and its ambitious drive toward value addition and import substitution was worth emulating .
She assured the company and other indigenous manufacturers that the National Assembly would continue to provide the necessary legislative backing to enhance local production and ensure that Nigerian products receive due patronage globally.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Industry, Mr Christian Udechukwu, who represented the Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, said the state government had partnered the company on environment, security network and electricity supply for effective and efficient production.
Soludo said that the partnership was to ensure local industries thrive and attract prospective investors for general growth and development of the state and the nation at large.
Mr John Ezeobi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of John Zobis Group of Companies, said that the visit was soul lifting and confirmation that the current administration meant well for local manufacturers.
Ezeobi said that the company started production in 2006 with over 95 regular staff and over 100 indirect staff and hoped the committee would enlighten companies, mostly in the oil and gas sector, to patronise local products.
He called on states and federal governments to assist local industries with funds without unnecessary bottlenecks to produce affordable products and enhance their growth.
