Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has called on the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry and other relevant agencies of government to set standards for local manufacturers so as to encourage patronage of locally made goods in the country.

Governor Amaechi made the call yesterday during the official flag-off ceremony and sensitisation workshop of the campaign for patronage of made-in-Nigeria products in the South-South zone held in Port Harcourt.

The governor, who also advocated the enactment of laws to punish manufacturers who break standards as well as those who aid them said, the call became necessary because some Nigerians can produce anything just to make money, attributing that to why consumers hate Nigerian made goods.

He pointed out that at the moment, patronage of Nigerian made goods has to do with a lot of patriotism which requires re-orientation of Nigerians to value such goods.

The State Chief Executive, who observed that locally made products were beginning to improve as evident in the pharmaceutical industry said “as Nigerians we must ensure that we think Nigeria, love Nigerian and act Nigeria as we recite in the national pledge, to be faithful, loyal and honest” so that we can move beyond mere gathering to buying made-in-Nigeria products”.

Governor Amaechi also observed that the quality of shoes made in Nigeria nowadays have equally improved as they can last longer than before, and encouraged Nigerians to buy them and other local products such as the popular “akwaete” cloth which he described as one of Nigeria’s finest products.

According to him there are indications that the quality of syringes manufactured in Port Harcourt is better than those produced in China but Nigerians would always prefer to import the ones from China, assuring that the state government would support the campaign to encourage the patronage of locally made products.

The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Chief Achike Udenwa called on state and local governments as well as other government agencies to ensure that priority is given to the use of Nigerian products in all procurement activities.

Chief Udenwa also appealed to the organized private sector to demonstrate a high sense of consumer patriotism and rise up to the task by ensuring high standards in product quality.

According to the Minister, with the launching of the campaign the journey has begun towards the increased and sustained utilization of made-in-Nigeria products in order to revive local industries, increase industrial productivity and enhance domestic consumption of exports, decrease in imports in line with President Yar’ Adua’s seven point agenda.

He used the occasion to announce the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi as the Matron for the made-in-Nigeria goods for the South-South zone.

On his part, the Director Commodities and Products Inspectorate Department of the Federal Ministry of Commerce, Alhaji Usman Gwandu who represented the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr. A. K. Muhammad, said the objectives of the made-in-Nigeria products will create jobs, fight poverty and diversify the foreign exchange earning capacity for the nation’s economy.