Follow Us on Google
The recent move by members of the House of Representatives to buy 400 new Toyota Camry 2020 model vehicles from foreign manufacturers for their operations, at a whopping cost of N5.4 billion, has understandably attracted public outcry. While it is desirable that our lawmakers should be provided with vehicles to perform their oversight functions, it is insensitive for them to think of foreign models of SUV cars at a time the economy is witnessing slow growth and the prospect of another recession is high.
It is worrisome that such a request is coming at a period when many Nigerians are facing untold economic hardship and when millions of Nigerians, including able-bodied youths are grappling with unemployment and grinding poverty. The scenario amply shows that there is a great disconnect between the lawmakers and those they claim to represent. The uproar against the ill thought out proposal shows that it is unpopular and therefore unacceptable to many Nigerians.
Perhaps the criticisms that greeted the move would not have been strident if the lawmakers had opted for made-in-Nigeria SUV cars or those assembled locally. Patronising made-in-Nigeria cars would have made much economic sense. We believe that our lawmakers ought to be in the forefront of the campaign to patronise Nigerian goods. Therefore, they should perish the thought of buying foreign cars for the so-called oversight functions where there are local substitutes. We believe that there is nothing wrong if the lawmakers can muster the political will to patronise such local car manufacturers such as Innoson Motors and others.
We think that it is one of the best ways to encourage local manufacturing of cars and other products. It is good that the Federal Government, some state governments and companies are patronising Innoson Motors and others made in Nigeria. Some federal agencies, including the military are also buying made-in-Nigeria vehicles as well.
It is remarkable that the Dangote Group has so far purchased about 3,500 locally manufactured trucks worth N63billion from Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company (ANAMMCO), Enugu.
It is not late yet for the lawmakers to jettison their love for foreign cars and patronise those made in the country. There are so many compelling reasons for them to do so. The government is still working on how to lift about 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. Nigeria has about 13 million children who are outside the school system. Nigeria is home to many preventable and deadly world diseases.
The war against the insurgents is still ongoing and the government needs more resources to successfully execute it. The government needs more funds to fix many roads and bridges across the country. These are some of the issues that ought to engage the urgent attention of our lawmakers and not acquiring exotic SUV cars from Japan. The lawmakers should be concerned with how to ensure good governance at all levels in the country. They should ensure that all Nigerians have the basic necessities of life such as food, water shelter and security.
This is the right time to tell our honourable members that the mood of the nation does not support their request for foreign SUV cars.
They are expected to be accountable to the people they represent and nothing in this case indicates that the interest of the constituents have been factored into their latest flight of fancy.
We recall that there was time when the official vehicles for government functionaries was Peugeot cars then assembled in Nigeria. There were many car manufacturing and assembling plants in the country then. But with the harsh economic environment and unfavourable government policies, some of them left the country and relocated to other countries.
Now that we have some companies that are manufacturing vehicles in our shores, the best thing our lawmakers should do to encourage them is to buy their products. We must curtail the appetitive for foreign goods. We say this because Nigeria can only achieve economic and industrial development only when we patronise goods made in the country.
