Francis Fadahunsi, chairman of the Senate Committee on Industry, has expressed dismay over the low patronage of made-in-Nigeria automobiles by the federal and state governments.

Mr Fadahunsi made the observation during the committee members’ visit to Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company (ANAMMCO) in Enugu on Friday.

The chairman said they discovered that a lot of potential was being wasted at Innoson Motors and ANAMMCO due to a lack of patronage from the federal and state governments.

“If the federal and state governments are patronising our indigenous vehicle assemblers, manufacturers, and CNG buses, Nigeria will be a better place instead of wasting our money and foreign resources to import vehicles.

“What we have seen in Enugu and Anambra is in line with the president’s New Hope Agenda. There are no types of buses that the government is looking for that these local assemblers and manufacturers cannot produce,” Mr Fadahunsi said.

The senator said indigenous vehicle assemblers and manufacturers need legal backing and funds from the federal government.

He called on ministries, departments, and agencies to patronise made-in-Nigeria vehicles, adding that by doing so, they would be reinvesting in the economy and creating jobs for unemployed youths.

Mr Fadahunsi also said the Senate committee would convince their colleagues to start patronising vehicles produced in Nigeria and assist in enacting bills to make them thrive.

Oluwemimo Osanipin, the director-general of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), commended the committee for its oversight function, adding that the automobile sector had the capacity to generate a lot of multiplier effects in the economy.

He tasked governments with policies that would encourage the purchase of locally manufactured goods and stimulate demand, which also allowed individuals to buy.

Mr Osanipin added that the committee’s visit would offer them the opportunity to identify the challenges of auto operators and areas needing support.

The chief operating officer of ANAMMCO, Bennett Ejindu, described the visit as a “positive development,” saying it underscored the importance the President Bola Tinubu administration and Senate attached to industrial development.

Mr. Ejindu recalled that ANAMMCO was established in the 1970s, and that the industry’s abandonment between 1970 and 1986 led the world to believe that Nigeria was not serious about developing the automotive industry.

The operating officer added that governments could also assist in revitalise the industry through direct involvement and the creation of an enabling environment for the industry to thrive.

(NAN)