Buhari to Lift National Productivity with Launch of New Campaign

As part of his intentions to rebuild the productivity culture of Nigerians, a culture he said will take into regard quality output and application of resources, President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed plans by his administration to formally launch a new crusade to upgrade the level of national productivity in Nigeria.

He said that the new movement, whose launch he has directed the National Productivity Centre (NPC) to set its machinery in motion, will have to cascade to the various states of the federation for maximum impact.

The president said in his remarks at the 15th National Productivity Day (NPD) and conferment of productivity awards to 11 individuals and two organisations Thursday in Abuja that he intends to “move Nigeria forward to become a strong, strategic and proactive state” through such deliberate, pragmatic and productivity-conscious programme.

Buhari was however represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh.

“We want to rebuild Nigeria into a competitive, virile, strong and productive economy; a state whose citizens are creative, innovative, responsive, accountable, incorruptible, patriotic and diligent.”

“Our concern is to build a productivity culture among the citizenry. A culture that will not only think of a measure of production or amount produced but how good the resources had been combined and used to achieve specific designed results.”

“In this regard, I shall personally lead the productivity crusade. The National Productivity Centre is hereby directed to put in place a machinery for my formal launching of the productivity movement in Nigeria,” Buhari said.

The president said that in the planned productivity campaign, he will expect the public service to play a critical role in its implementation and sustenance as the organ of government responsible for policy development and execution.

According to him: “It is my intention to hold the public servants collectively and individually responsible for the planning and implementation of the changes contemplated by this administration.

“From now on, it will no longer be ‘business as usual’. Excellence will be rewarded and mediocrity will not be tolerated.”