Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012 — 37
Fresh agenda to boost local content in the construction industry
HIGH POINTS *Contracts which are N5 billion Naira and below have been reserved for only indigenous contractors
… As BPP unveils plans to enforce new policy that in spite of the enormous opportunities that abound in this sector, the construction and engineering industry is still being dominated by foreign contractors. “Substantial part of the major construction and engineering projects in Nigeria is executed by expatriates, thereby creating a huge capital flight. This obviously should not be the case. No nation can develop solely by relying on the expertise of foreign n a t i o n a l s . I n d i g e n o u s technology must therefore be developed, especially in construction and complex engineering projects. Continued reliance on imported technologies and professionals to build most
A road under construction in Akure By JUDE NJOKU
T
he Construction in dustry is generally re g a r d e d as the barometer for measuring the health of any nation’s economy. When a nation’s construction industry is booming, the economy of that country is believed to be thriving while the reverse is the case when the construction sector is going through a downturn. The Nigerian construction industry since the attainment of independence over 50 years ago, has been dominated by expatriate construction companies and those which wear the garb of indigenous construction companies simply because they have appointed a few Nigerians into their Board of Directors. Apparently pissed by this ugly development, Nigerian Engineers and other built environment experts and stakeholders have been waging unfruitful battles to redress the trend. The arguments often advanced by the government at the Federal and State levels for preferring foreign contractors, include: alleged incompetence of local contractors, some of who mismanage funds collected for projects and the inability of indigenous firms to buy the construction equipments
required to execute most heavy construction and engineering projects, among many others. It was therefore a cheery news when the Federal Government last week announced that from 2013, all engineering and construction projects below N5 billion will be handled by Nigerian contractors who possess the requisite capability. Works Minister, Mr. Mike Onolememen, an Architect, who disclosed this at the justconcluded 45th National Engineering Conference put together by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, stated the gesture is aimed at protecting indigenous entrepreneurs and promoting local content in the
construction sector. He further disclosed that all contractors handling major projects in his ministry had been directed to employ Nigerian engineering personnel. The policy, Onolememen said, is “a deliberate effort by the Federal Government to help build local capacity and promote local content in the industry.. It is also aimed at reversing the domination of the Nigerian engineering and construction industry by expatriates.” The Minister who noted that over 80 per cent of the capital budget of all tiers of government in Nigeria is expended in the construction and engineering industry regretted
of Nigeria’s infrastructure such as roads, power, energy, water supply and transportation is simply not sustainable in the long run,” he said. In a similar vein, the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, says it will enforce the new policy from January, 2013. The Director-General of BPP, Engr. Emeka Eze, told Vanguard Homes & Property, weekend, that the agency will enforce the implementation of the policy through a categorization and classification module that would be deployed from next month. Engr Eze, a former President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, allayed fears that for-
*Indigenous construction companies are those which are owned 100 percent by Nigerians * BPP will enforce the implementation of the policy through a categorization and classification module that would be deployed from next month. * The protective measures put in place by China, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Singapore are what made them technological powers and exporters of expertise even to Nigeria today
eign companies who pose as indigenous firms because they have Nigerian directors, will benefit from the new policy. According to him, “indigenous companies are those which are owned 100 percent by Nigerians”. Vanguard Homes & Prop erty observes that the Works Minister was merely reechoing the statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan a few months ago when he received in audience, the NSE President, Engr. Mustafa Balarabe Shehu. The President had stated that as a matter of deliberate policy, his government is prepared to give jobs to local manufacturers and contractors even if their quotations are 10 to 15 per cent higher than those of expatriates. He said government would use such contractors, especially for jobs that relate to the attainment of Vision 2020. According to him, the Government decided to encourage local contractors because it realised that foreigners would not be able to develop the country more than Nigerians. It would be recalled that the Ibrahim Babangida-led military government in 1991, came up with a National Construction Policy which sought to accord more visibility and patronage to indigenous construction industry experts.
Protect your children from domestic accidents
C
hildren are the most likely victims of domestic accidents. You can protect your little ones from falls, burns, poisoning and other household accidents with a few simple precautions.
Check your kitchen
A quarter of domestic accidents occur in the kitchen. And it is children between one and four years old who are most vulnerable. Avoid hazards by adopting these good habits: *Your cupboards and kitchen furniture should be securely fastened to the wall or floor. *The oven door should have a protective
heat shield. If yours does not, you can fit a special grill that will do the job. *Pan handles ought to be turned towards the inside of the stove. *Cooker dials should be either out of reach or resistant to being moved by tiny hands. *Power outlets should be a safe distance from water sources and have no visible wire. *Dangerous items (such as knives, scissors, cleaning products, plastic bags, lighters, etc.) must be kept out of reach of small hands. The bathroom Second in the league of dangerous
rooms is the bathroom. The risks here can be serious, and include burns, drowning or electrocution. Stay aware when bathing your child: *Pre-test the water temperature or fit your taps with a thermostat. *Do not leave the room once your toddler is in the bath. A child can drown in 10 cm of water. *Keep electrical items away from the bath tub. *Store such things as hairdryers, radios, razors, etc. in a cupboard when not in use. •Cosmetics and fragrances can be toxic to children and should be kept out of reach.