Buhari: We will push SMEs to promote made in Nigeria goods

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday promised that the Federal Government would encourage and facilitate Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to thrive and promote made in Nigeria goods.

Buhari, who said this during the 9th Bola Tinubu Colloquium to mark his 65th birthday with the theme: ‘Make It in Nigeria: Use What We Make, Make What We Use’, which held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, maintained that this was part of his administration’s overall national economic policy.

This is even as Tinubu challenged the government to put laws in place to encourage small and medium enterprises and help young entrepreneurs start up their business and thereby reducing the problem of unemployment in the country.

The President, who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulraham Dambazau (rtd), stressed that the theme of the colloquium was apt as it was a desirable and necessary policy for the country.

“The government is serious in facilitating industries to make what we can locally and import only what is strategic to our development plans,” he said.
He noted that it was high time Nigeria looked inward to develop its economy.
He added the government was looking forward to receiving proposals from discussions at the colloquium with a view to incorporating it into the national economic policy.

The President described Tinubu as an outstanding politician, a great mobiliser, one who is effective in conceiving and planning governmental policies.

“Chief Bola Tinubu is an outstanding Yoruba politician of his generation,” he said.
Responding to what the speakers including the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Ministers of Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah and Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Founder and chairman, IVM Innoson Group and many young entrepreneurs, Tinubu said unless there is an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, which he said could only be achieved through effective legislation, the country’s quest for diversification may not be easy to achieve.

His words: “More than any hour in our history, Nigeria stands at a defining juncture. Our challenges are manifold and profound. Yet, so are our collective ability and talents. The balance will then tip in favour or against us as our commitment and political will to succeed dictate.
“The topic of today is thus germane. The central theme focuses on what Nigeria makes and what it uses. Implicitly, it asks if our political economy is properly structured. To answer this, we must dig a bit deeper to ask an even more fundamental question rarely examined.
“Is our political economy structured for the benefit of man or man is to be subservient to the benefit of the impersonal political economy?

“The answer seems self-evident. Of course the political economy should be for the benefit of man. Yet this is not how we act. In reality, we do not first try to bend or mold the economy to extract the optimal benefit for the people. Instead, we have been conditioned to demand that the people to bend and twist themselves to fit what the economy is or what it is not”.

Also, Gov. Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, who described Tinubu as a great political product and a successful leader who had mentored many leaders in the country, likened him to a coconut which was blessed with the divine task to be fruitful and useful to humanity, versatile and courageous; one which could bear fruit for a long time.

“Like the coconut, some bye-products and fruits will get bad along the way or after being sold in the market. In actual fact, the political product may not be the favourite of some other people.

“The bottom line, however, is simple. If Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, were a coconut; I dare say, with all simplicity, I would be among the front liners who will eat, drink and sleep B.A.T. 24/7.

“The test of a successful leader is in the number of leaders that he has created. Using this globally accepted parameter, Asiwaju, at 65, is without doubt, a winner in this category,” Ambode said.

Some notable dignitaries at the event included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, former and serving governors, Senators, politicians, entrepreneurs, among others.