Should the National Assembly buy imported cars for its members or be compelled to use locally made vehicles?

As representative of the people, they should be the first patrons of locally made goods. Apart from billionaire business people, captain of industries and top civil servants, the National Assembly members are one of the big spenders in Nigeria. So, they should patronize locally made vehicles. This will help to boost our economy. If they are not satisfied with the models of cars available with Nigerian Automobile companies like Innoson and the rest, a model should be designed specifically for them. This is National Assembly we are talking about, they can afford it. If they will be true representatives, most Nigerians who they claim to represent are saying they should use locally made vehicles. Therefore, they should heed this call and patronize locally manufactured vehicles. Imagine the boost it will give to Innoson Motors if they purchase up to 500 vehicles from the company. Apart from the National Assembly, I doubt if there’s any parastatal of Nigeria that can purchase such volume of cars at once. Also, imagine if we are buying such number of cars from abroad, the revenue it will generate for the country they will buy it from, the job it will create for the shipper that will ship it to Nigeria and the distribution to their various locations. This will be a huge lost in public funds.

They’re out rightly wrong if they are bent on getting the imported cars. However, they are yet to show Nigerians how better they are than the 8th assembly. Nigerians so much believe in the 9th assembly as the people’s representatives but the recent report of them purchasing cars overseas show that they are not what they say they are. I respect the leaders of both the upper and lower chambers to a large extent, but the best that they can do on this issue is to listen to yearnings of the masses. To this end, Innoson and other made in Nigeria automobile companies should be patronize as a means of encouraging these companies. Of course, we cannot admit that the made- in -Nigeria cars are better and durable than the imported ones but the lawmakers should reduce to the barest minimum the fund allocated for these cars to other sectors needing more financial inputs such as the health sector, education, among others than acquiring expensive imported vehicles. They should be proud to patronize made in Nigeria goods.

In my own opinion, I feel they should be compelled to buy locally made or locally assembled vehicles just for one reason- to improve the current state of our economy. The more they buy from them, the more money in circulation (liquidity) and if this continues, it will draw the attention of other Nigerians to patronize the locally made or assembled vehicles in excess and this will lead to high demand of these vehicles which will as well lead to job creation, directly and indirectly. The multiplier effect of this will also lead to more liquidity. Compelling the members of the national assembly to buy locally made vehicles is not only important but it is the way out for our local manufacturers.

They should be compelled to use locally made vehicles because it will go a long way in contributing to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), nation’s income and also create employment. There should be a law that will mandate all legislators to patronize locally made cars. This will not give room for importation of cars but it will make it easier for people to have access to use of cars. I know one cannot compare the vehicles imported to the ones that are locally made in Nigeria but we have to build gradually on what we have in order for us to encourage the manufacturers. Once the politicians start using the made-in-Nigeria vehicles, I am sure other citizens will do the same.

They should be compelled to use made-in-Nigeria vehicles because this is part of the change the present administration is all about. The government has closed the border since last year to make her citizens patronize their own products and yet the leaders are the ones going against the law. This is really sad. Why don’t they use the money allocated for purchasing of these imported vehicles to generate revenue for the country?  I am sure they will get good and new cars from our manufacturers here.

The National Assembly members opting for foreign made vehicles shows they are not interested in the growth of Nigeria’s economy. I wonder why new cars should be bought for politicians every four years. That money could be used to encourage Nigerian local car manufacturing companies and our leaders have to lead by example by buying and using Nigerian made cars. Giving excuses of locally made vehicles not having durability and efficiency is a no for me. For example, when Toyota first made land cruisers most of our leaders are clamouring for, do they really think they were efficient and durable? Have they ever thought of what would have happened if the Japanese did not support Toyota by buying and using it? Our leaders should start acting on their words and not just saying and expecting citizens to adhere to it while they are doing the opposite.

So what about the “buy made-in-Nigeria to grow the Naira” that this government has been talking about. My husband has been driving a made in Nigeria car for the past three years and the one time it had an issue it was sorted out by the company without problems. Even if they feel that the cars are not up to their lofty standards, what has the government done to assist the manufacturers like Innoson and the likes to improve and grow the industry? Imagine some huge sum of money to be pumped into another country’s economy. This is absurd.

Our leaders are the problem of the Nigerian economy. Imagine, N50 billion sent to foreign countries to acquire cars that they don’t really need since all of them have fancy cars already. They are enriching other countries and depreciating the naira at the same time. These same leaders are the ones who send their kids to foreign universities, vacation abroad, shop abroad, buy properties abroad, seek healthcare abroad etc. And they keep saying that the value of the naira is too bad. How would the country grow if things keep happening like this?

How are they currently moving around and why can’t they move around in the vehicles they are currently using? Why does Nigeria have to pay for a select few to ride in luxury when our roads are still bad and some towns and Local Government Area’s (LGAs) don’t even have access roads? How is it possible that this government is championing the “buy made-in-Nigeria campaign” but are unwilling to enforce all public office holders to practice what they preach? How genuine are these leaders? Why do we as a people keep putting ourselves in this kind of mess? Will there really ever be a change? Will we ever elect leaders who actually love Nigeria? Why we are still regarded as an underdeveloped nation even when we are so rich as a nation? All these questions need to be answered before our country can move forward and grow.

I see buying of new vehicles as a waste of money. Our country is in debt and we keep borrowing all in the name of making our country better whereas the leaders are the root of all the problems. Why can’t the new NASS leaders use the cars of the past ones? Must new cars be gotten for every new leader? There has to be a law to stop this if we want growth in our country. I believe we all have to work to see how the country can be debt free by embracing what is locally made and stop importation.

Everyone and I mean both the government and her citizens should be compelled to patronize everything made-in-Nigeria. Buying of imported cars should not be the priority of the leaders for crying out loud, at this point. I feel they should use the cars of the past leaders; it is not a must to get new ones. So much is going on in the country now and we are in serious debt which is affecting us a nation. The reason why leaders are appointed is to see to the welfare of their followers and not the other way round. For instance, the issue of the N30, 000 minimum wage has been dragging on for a long while now and nothing is being done about it.