Gbenro Adesina
The Federal Government has been urged to promote the nation’s economy that has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic by patronising Nigerian printers to print major publications and other documents.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State this today in Ibadan through his Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, who received members of Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON) on behalf of the governor at his office.
Pointing out that the nation was losing humongous money to printing of documents and publication outside the shores of Nigeria, the governor said that the presence of a regulatory body for professional printers has made it possible for the local printers to print secure items that include ballot papers for elections, traveling documents as well as educational materials.
He maintained that by doing this, the post-Covid-economy of Nigeria would witness developed internally-generated revenue and promote job promotion in the country.
The Governor commended the institute for repositioning the profession towards achieving integrity for members and urged for more regulations and control to weed out non-members and those he called impersonators in the profession.
He advised the institute to use the same vigour that was employed to get the act establishing it entrenched in the constitution to lobby major Federal Government agencies like the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and state agencies to patronise their members.
Speaking earlier, the National President, Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON), Mr Olugbemi Malomo acknowledged the achievements of Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration in the areas of free education, improved healthcare system, agricultural revolution and social infrastructure.
He lamented the loss of N15billion to the effects of Covid-19 as members could not get the expected works, adding that it led to the publication of a ‘post-Covid-19 Priority for Printing’ which he said has been submitted to the federal government.
“We want to call on the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for the survival of the printing industry post-Covid-19.The Federal Government should have serious rethink on globalisation. The print industry is the largest employer of labour apart from agriculture. It has employed more than 10million Nigerians in her entire value chain, talk of printing of educational materials, security printing and other items. Government is the highest buyer of print through her agencies, such procurements appeared lopsided currently as many who are not printers collect government contract that are specific for printing and allied industry, which are majorly taken outside the country, it is disheartening”, he said.
CIPPON was established by Act 24 of the National Assembly in 2007 and was reposed with the responsibility of regulating and controlling professional members throughout the nation.
