By Chimezie Godfrey
Director General National Office for Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim has said the organisation saved the federal government the sum of N79.3billion in the area of capital flight between 2015 and 2019.
The NOTAP’s Chief Executive Officer stated this Wednesday in Abuja during a media briefing on efforts by the organization towards the implementation of Executive Order Number 5 (Ex05).
He said NOTAP as one of the government’s agencies given additional responsibilities on the Ex05 gearing towards improving local content in science, technology and innovation (STI) contracts of public funded projects,has so far achieved some projects.
“NOTAP through the collaboration with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has secured a COREN Register of Engineering Personnel & Consultating Engineering Firms, 2012 Edition.
“We have also created a formal registration form on the official website and have received more than one thousand entries from Nigerian professionals,” he stated.
He further disclosed that NOTAP has generated over seven thousand (7000) entries of COREN Registered Engineering Personnel and Consulting Firms across the 36 States of Nigeria including FCT.
He said the organisation dedicated some ICT-based infrastructure to house the database of the Nigerian Professionals.
“Indigenous of database to facilitate data access and retrievals. NOTAP has also developed a Programme implementation Document (PID) and will train some staff and provide them with working tools in the implementation of project.
Responding to questions, he said the dire need of the country was basically on infrastructure like providing light, good roads,” he said.
“This is where Nigeria spends a large sum of money using technical experts from outside the country or foreign companies to undertake such projects.
“We are specific on people who have indigenous skills to provide direct services as alternative for those who are coming into this country and that is what we are working on and I assure you that in the nearest future there won’t be foreign contracts in the nearest future.”
Ibrahim, urged Nigerians to support the initiative by the federal government to advance the economy of the country.
“Many countries are using their citizens in diaspora to develop the prosperity of their country and Nigeria should become part of this revolution because the growth of this country lies on the shoulder of each and every one of us to collectively move Nigeria forward,” he stated.
