Get Your Uniforms Locally-Buhari Orders Military, Others

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly directed the military and all other uniform services and hospitals to patronise the Nigerian Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) industries to grow the economy. This revelation was made by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, at a meeting with the country's service chiefs and stakeholders from the CTG sector in Abuja on Thursday, July 11. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Emefiele explained that for the present administration to tackle unemployment and grow the economy, the CTG sector must be revived. “We have the mandate of the Mr President to ensure all the uniform services and theatre wears in hospitals and medical facilities are sourced locally from CTG industries. “Already, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPR) has been notified to enforce compliance among the ministries, departments and agencies of the government. “Our model to achieve this directive or mandate is to facilitate long term contract at least five years or more with these people," he said adding that the country wants to have its armed forces and other uniformed men to be kitted in wears produced in Nigeria. Emefiele said the CBN was not naive of the fact that the jobs of the uniform men required special and quality materials as well as the security around the wears. He also pledged that the team that would be raised by the bank would work with their nominees to ensuring requisite quality and security associated with the uniforms. “Your nominees will also join our team to inspect CTG factories to ensure their readiness to be engaged in the long term contract of this nature. “We shall also work out payment term that fits budget releases for uniforms of various organisations. “If this is actualised, with your support and cooperation, it will impact positively on CTG sector and Nigerian’s economy at large,” he said while adding that the CBN had started to support the sector 'from the bottom' by funding cotton seeds for the farmers to produce quality cottons. It was learnt that representatives of Nigerian Army, Navy, customs, immigration, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the civil defence corps and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among others, attended the meeting and pledged to support by patronising the industries to boost the economy of the country. I President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly sent a directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ordering the blacklisting of any firm involved in smuggling palm oil. The directive also included the blacklisting of owners of these firms and their top management involved in dumping into the country any of the 43 restricted items in Nigeria.