Tinubu Tasks Private, Public Sectors With Adherence To Quality

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the organised private sector (OPS) in the country to always demand for quality products and services from their public sector counterparts and vice versa, as part of deliberate efforts to promote a quality culture among the citizenry.

Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the opening of a workshop on Sustainable Provision of Metrology Services in Nigeria in Lagos, the President stressed that constant demand for quality products and services would enhance the nation’s ability to trade seamlessly beyond borders, especially in view of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda.

The workshop was held under the auspices of Standards Partnership Programme (SPP) and supported by the United Kingdom Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).

The President stated that a more efficient and sustainable national quality infrastructure as being facilitated by the effective implementation of the Nigerian National Quality Policy (NNQP) under the SPP, would greatly support significant increase in nonoil export for increased foreign exchange earnings, a stronger naira, improved capacity utilisation, job creation and general growth of the economy and the welfare of the citizens.

He called on all relevant stakeholders in Nigeria to continue to be proactive in their roles to drive the implementation of AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, in view of Nigeria’s official endorsement as the Digital Trade Champion for the continent at the recently concluded 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Senator Akume expressed appreciation to the United Kingdom Government for the huge support and assistance it has been providing to the National Quality Council (NQC) towards the effective implementation of the Nigerian National Quality Policy through the SPP.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Chairman, NQC, Osita Aboloma, expressed the Council’s commitment to a more efficient National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) that accommodates both the public and private sectors and support increased competitiveness of personnel, produce, products from Nigeria.

Aboloma stated that the NQC’s mandate of effective implementation of the NNQP would positively impact the National Quality Infrastructure, especially in relation to increased non-oil exports and mitigation of Nigeria’s export rejects, both of which have potential to promote self-sufficiency and improved earning capacity from seamless trading with the rest of the globe.