Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said to grow the economy Nigerians must patronise locally made goods and services including the consumption of Nigerian foods and drinks at public and private functions.
The acting President said this on Thursday at an interactive session with top government officials on the ease of doing business at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said government would work out incentives for performance by building reward system that punishes malfeasance and that preference must be given to indigenous providers of goods and services to strengthen the system.
Osinbajo said, “I agree that a system of rewarding performance, and punishing malfeasance is key. We must work out incentive schemes even as we tighten up sanctions regimes.
“We hit 70 percent quickly on the 60 days of ease or doing business target because of the cooperation of all the agencies like ministry of interior, immigrations, customs etc and that is why the remaining 30percent we will also achieve and deliver. I will hold myself accountable to it and I will also hold you accountable. “Usually, we blame the system. But the system is men and women not machines. So we can and must reform it. These proposed executive orders present a unique opportunity to perform. Ladies and gentlemen let us perform.
“The President has laid out a cornerstone policy of this administration. We must grow what we eat and make what we use. The President again enunciated this principle in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. Buy Nigerian, Use Nigerian.
“So we must now insist that at state banquets we eat and drink Nigerian.”