Economy
THE National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) says some African countries including Uganda, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire as well as subnational governments patronise its products.
The Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Friday at Abuja.
Haruna said he was in the Presidential Villa for the quarterly update of the president on the finances and activities of the agency.
According to him, there is a standing committee of Nigeria Governors Forum working with NASENI as state governments present issues that are within the mandate of NASENI to address.
“We are only receiving one per cent of Federal Government share of the Federation Account; the National Economic Council has agreed that we should take the full one per cent; and we believe that from the end of January, we should start that.
“So, we are in pace; we have requests; we have many state governments placing orders for things that NASENI manufactures.
“For example, we increased our capacity and deployed some staff to Taraba on the request of the state government to meet its demands.
“In Nasarawa, we have increased capacity on solar homes because apart from what Federal Government has intervened, Nasarawa State Government has made some requests.’’
He said that recently, through Federal Government’s intervention on smokeless, efficient cooking stove; NASENI got orders from Nasarawa State in thousands.
The NASENI boss said that there was need to expand production capacity to meet the demands.
Haruna said that the agency had made some publications asking for expression of interests to repair tractors and other heavy duty equipment.
“Such expression must be guaranteed by the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) to ensure that the equipment did not rust away but put to effective use.
“In the sense that fund approved by government should be used for repairs and whatever it costs; the state government can refund this money within a period of five years provided it is guaranteed by NISRAL.
“Almost every state government has expressed interest; so there is a good working relationship between NASENI and the sub-nationals.’’
The chief executive officer said that one of the skills development centre that was near completion in terms of construction and installation of equipment was the Agricultural Equipment and Machinery Development Institute in Mbutu-Abor, Mbaise, Imo State.
He said that the project had been delayed by some security challenges.
“However, through the intervention of the state governor, work is taking place at the site 24 hours; we are looking at, God willing, in March, after the elections, the president will commission that.
“So, also, the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute in Lafia, Nasarawa State; work has reached advanced stage; that one, also, God willing will be due for commissioning.
“There is the skill development centre in Gwantu, Kaduna State; that one, God willing, will be ready for commission in March too.
“Then the Aeronautics and Air Vehicle Development Institute where NASENI Aircraft Research and Development and Helicopter Production has been transferred to– the Air force Institute of Technology in Kaduna, that will also be ready for commissioning.
“These are the ones that we concentrated in their development.’’
On the 2023 NASENI budget and internally generated revenue, he said that the funding of the agency for the period started in February 2022 as visible impacts were made.
Haruna said that the agency was generating revenue from its solar plant and other products.
“Our Solar Manufacturing Plant is a limited liability company of government.
“Other activities like the production of laboratory equipment for secondary and for tertiary intuitions.
“Just yesterday, we received order from Uganda, they want supply of this laboratory equipment from us; that is revenue source for government; Cameroun and Cote d’Ivoire also are patronising these products.
`They are revenue sources for government; payment for these goes directly to the Consolidated Revenue Account.’
The NASENI boss also provided an update on China Great wall partnership.
“The report I am giving is what stands at third quarter; and in fourth quarter, there was another payment.
“We envisage that by the end of second quarter of 2023, we would have finished paying the 15 per cent counterpart funding,’’ he said
On funding for the production of defence equipment, Haruna said such funds were sourced internally from NASENI and its private partners as well as the Nigerian Machine Tools Limited, Oshogbo and the Ministry of Defence.
He added that as a result of the amendment of the Finance Act in June, 2022 by the National Assembly, what was budgeted for NASENI was N44.6 billion; a reduction of 20.5 per cent of N56.1 billion which was earlier appropriated. (NAN)
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Tags: NASENI Nigeria Governors Forum Prof. Mohammed Haruna
