Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has welcomed the directive requiring ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to purchase vehicles from licensed local assemblers, saying the policy would support Nigerian businesses and create jobs. In a post on X, Saraki said, “When government buys Nigerian, it invests in Nigerians,” recalling that the……
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has welcomed the directive requiring ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to purchase vehicles from licensed local assemblers, saying the policy would support Nigerian businesses and create jobs.
In a post on X, Saraki said, “When government buys Nigerian, it invests in Nigerians,” recalling that the 8th Senate passed a bill in June 2016 to amend the Public Procurement Act and make preference for Nigerian-made goods mandatory.
He said the amendment sought to strengthen local production by changing the word “may” to “shall” in Section 34 of the Act, making preference for locally made goods a requirement rather than a discretionary option.
“At the heart of that effort was a simple but significant change in Section 34: replacing ‘may’ with ‘shall’,” Saraki said.
The former Senate President said public spending should be used to strengthen domestic prosperity by supporting local industries and encouraging manufacturers to expand their operations.
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“When we buy what we produce, we support jobs, reduce pressure on foreign exchange, and give manufacturers the confidence to invest, expand, and employ more people,” he said.
Saraki expressed hope that the directive would be consistently implemented and that its underlying principle would be embraced across every arm of government.
“I hope that this directive will be consistently implemented and its underlying principle embraced across every arm of government,” he said.
