In what observers termed the greatest discouragement to print business this year, the Federal Government of Nigeria has ban
ned multiple colour print production of invitation cards, programme of events, brochures, folders, note pads, conference bags, T-shirts and other souvenirs at events such as Conferences and Seminars funded by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Finance, Salisu Dambatta – Nigeria’s biggest spender – the Federal Government of Nigeria said the ban was in continuation of the on-going cost-cutting and efficiency drive in the utilization of public funds by the present administration. The statement reads in part: ‘The directive which is a recognition of the fact that in a period of lean financial resources unnecessary expenditure on overheads such as souvenirs are luxuries that the government must eliminate. This will enable release of funds for infrastructure and services such as health and education that would have direct positive impact on the well being of the citizenry and promote economic development’.
The directive contained specific guidelines that would reduce the cost of printing invitation cards, programme of events, brochures, folders and note pads. Among the guidelines are that they should be in black and white and limited to only one page and in the case of Brochures they should be streamlined to contain only essential information.
According to the statement: ‘printing of unnecessary publications and books of short shelf life which have no real value to the concerned public institutions or the citizens have also been banned’. Meanwhile, MDAs were encouraged to save costs by uploading such publications on their websites which has the added benefit of wider visibility.
