Assembly Directs MDAs To Patronise Govt Press

Enugu State House of Assembly has adopted a motion urging all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to henceforth give their printing jobs to the state government-owned printing press.

Presenting the motion at a plenary session on Thursday, the House Committee Chairman on Information, Mr John-Kelvin Ukuta, lamented that the MDAs were denying the government revenue by failing to patronise the government press.

“It is unfortunate that people who are employed to do a job are left to idle away without doing their legal and statutory functions,’’ he said.

Ukuta said compelling the MDAs to patronise the government press would reduce the huge cost of doing such jobs outside as well as reduce the forgery of receipts and other government documents.

He also said that patronising government press would reduce the cost of educational books and stop leakages of question papers at all levels of education in government-owned schools and institutions.

The chairman listed other benefits to include printing of electoral or other materials for the State Independent Electoral Commission, individuals and organisations, and generating revenue for the state.

Supporting the motion, Chief Michael Onyeze, representing Igboeze North 1, stressed the need for the renovation, upgrading of equipment and total over-haul of the government press, so that the aim of urging MDA’s to patronise it would not be defeated.

Others who supported the motion include Dr Emeka Ogbuabor (PDP-Isiuzo), Dame Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu (PDP-Nsukka West), Mr Joseph Ugwumba (PDP-Enugu East Rural) and Mr Okechukwu Nwoke (PDP-Igboetiti West).

The Assembly urged the Head of Service to ensure that all MDAs “do their printing jobs with the government printing press’’ and advised the Secretary to the State Government to ensure compliance.

The House directed its Committee on Information to create public awareness on the existence and functions of the printing press, as well as lure organisations to patronise it.

They also urged the Commissioner for Local Government to ensure full compliance by the 17 Local Government Chairmen.

The Speaker, Mr Eugene Odoh, directed the Clerk of the Assembly to communicate the House’s decision to all the affected persons, while the relevant assembly committees should follow up through effective over-sight functions.