The Built Environment and Building Materials Exhibitions has advised Nigerians to buy goods made in their nation, particularly building materials, to halt capital flight.
Chief Fejuku Benjamin Bola, Chairman of the Advisory Council BEBM Exhibitions and Ba’alo-Emu, Oworo Kingdom, provided the advice on Tuesday in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, at the 2022 Kogi Built Environment and Building Materials Exhibitions, dubbed “Building Smart Environment Udiong Made In Nigeria Building Materials.”
Annually, the BEBM exhibition is held with the goal of highlighting trends, systems, and policy concerns that have an impact on how the building industry intervenes in and responds to daily life.
It provides the enabling platform for organisers, participants and other critical stakeholders in the construction sector to engage in direct communication and value exchange.
Bola highlighted the need for the citizenry to imbibe the culture of patronizing made in Nigeria goods, noting that this would fast-track and facilitate the growth and development of the local market.
He used the occasion to appeal to the federal government to mitigate the effects by regulating and standardising indigenous products to forestall incidences of building collapse in the country.
He also encouraged end-users of building materials most especially from Kogi state to imbibe the use of local products made in Nigeria in building construction and to reduce interest in foreign and made products.
The chairman bemoaned the over reliance on foreign materials in the construction industry, noting that this has largely responsible for some of the inadequacies in the construction sector.
According to him, this has also contributed to the depletion of the nation’s foreign reserves and also create massive unemployment amongst Nigerian youths.
Chief Bola explained that the BEBM Exhibitions is a cutting-edge organization put in place to champion and advocate the use of indigenous construction materials.
He therefore enjoined Nigerians to leverage on the availability of locally manufactured products to promote self-reliance and encourage global competitiveness of Nigerian products.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Kogi State Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr. Emmanuel Audu described the theme as an essential requirement for Socio-economic growth and sustainable development of any society in the provision of life enhancing and reliable infrastructural services.
He further highlighted some of the milestones of the present administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the state.
Engr. Audu disclosed that out of the 16 road projects awarded by the administration, 14 have been completed across the state, adding that 3 other inherited road projects have also been completed.
He confirmed that Solar-powered street lights have been installed in Lokoja, Kabba and Okene, while others are still ongoing.
The PS also revealed that the state government has recorded remarkable milestone in the area of building infrastructure across all the sectors.
In his goodwill message to the event, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Organization of Nigeria, Farouk Salim explained that the agency among other objectives is empowered by an act of the National Assembly to prepare standards for all products goods and services produced or rendered in the country.
Salim who was represented at the occasion by Engr. Olowu Alex Daudu, stressed further that the organization prepares standards relating to product measurement, materials and processes.
He expressed appreciation to the organisers for identifying with the organization in its 50 years celebration, assuring that it would continue to partner with the group to the standardization of construction materials.
He acknowledged that the event is in tandem with its target of building consonance with requirements of the environment.
According to him, “you don’t have to build the environment by also destroying the environment
“When you use materials that are substandard, instead of building the environment you are struggling to build, you end up destroying it, because the environment constitutes both the living and non-living components, containing the biosphere and atmosphere, and that’s the essence of this program.
If you use product that is not in conformity with the requirement of the standard, you will still not be satisfied”, Engr. Daudu concluded.
High point of the event was the presentation of honorary awards to some deserving personalities for their outstanding contributions to humanity.
Notable among the awardees are Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Engr. Abubakar Ohere, Kogi Central APC Senatorial candidate; Dr. Lami Onayi Ahmed, National Organising Secretary, BUMPAN, Hon. Victor Adewale Omofaiye,
Others are Arc. Mahmud Ibrahim; Barrister Ladi Ahmed Jatto, State Project Coordinator, NEWMAP; Mrs. Rekiya Onaivo Sanni, MD, Kogi State Enterprise Development Agency, Hon. Adam Bakaso, Chairman, Kogi State Forestry.