PRINCE WALE ELUMARO (MANAGING DIRECTOR – GMD ROYAL PRINT PRESS).
- This partnership is long overdue. The benefits cannot be under estimated. As a matter of fact, we can never measure the multiplier effects on local printers. Today, Nigeria is talking about local content – that we should patronise locally made goods but we have neglected the printing industry. The Nigeria printing industry is ranked among the best in Africa in terms of our competency and facilities. I can rightly say that if the partnership between INEC and CIPPON works it will lead to employment opportunities among Nigerian youths. The contract INEC will be giving out wont only be of benefit to those it will be given to but also it will be of immense benefits to the economy by enhancing our Naira and reducing the pressure on our Foreign Reserve particularly in US Dollars. It will also strengthen our trade relations with other countries as we export more – even print products and services to other countries.
RUFUS OJO (ROMAN NIGERIA LIMITED).
- I disagree with the excuse INEC gave from the onset of this issue that: “if the election materials are being printed here locally it will give way to manipulation or electoral malpractices’’; because there is no perfect country in the world. All I will advise them to do is to provide adequate security where election materials will be printed to avoid fraud. Therefore, the partnership between INEC and CIPPON will be of great benefits to our economy in revenue generation by the government as well as empowering local printers across the country.
AJAYI TEMITOPE (THOMPSON PRINT VENTURES).
- It will bring about more employment in the country. We now have security printing presses in the country that can handle the printing of election materials so I see no reason why our election materials should be printed abroad. It will be a waste of money and resources. In a printing press, hundreds of people can work there as we have different work departments. While some people are operating printing machines, others are engaged in the collating section. With that, all hands are on deck and by the end of the month – these workers are paid salary; and with that, they spend the money in the country, government will have more internally generated revenues – and the country is free from unemployment and anti–social vices like kidnapping, arm robbery and prostitution.
FUNMILAYO OLUWANIYI (GOD’S VOICE PRINTING ENTERPRISES).
- It will create more jobs opportunities in the country. Our graduates coming out from tertiary institutions will have enough jobs for the source of their livelihood. It will also bring more value to the country’s currency (the Naira). And am sure if INEC will keep to the pronouncement, they will also provide enough security to printing companies that will be printing the election materials.
REMI ATANDA (ATAREX PRINT).
- It will be of advantage to the printing industry of Nigeria if properly done. We have been advocating for this for a long time now, because it will be of no benefit for us to be printing abroad when we have professionals and capacities here. Most discerning print owners, even Government Printers have been sending their operators and managers abroad for further training and when these professionals come back; they will be rendered useless because they have no jobs to do. This will improve the knowledge base in the industry and thereby increase the press capacity. It is even better for us to print here because it is cheaper than abroad except we don’t want to be sincere with ourselves. Though we import majority of what we use in printing, it’s cheaper and better for the government because it will save government funds that will be channelled to other productive uses and in turn empower our people; redundant printers will get something to do even the small scale printers will not be left out. For example, if before INEC has been spending Three Billion Naira on election materials, now that they will be printing in Nigeria, they may spend One Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira because other costs like estacode, transports and other logistics will be removed. Again, other auxiliary trades will get something to do and our graduates coming out of schools will get something to do – even those ones that are not into printing because it is not only professional printers that works in a press; those from other disciplines can equally work in a press and with that – both the government and the citizens benefit. Talking about security, I will advise that INEC provide security instead of using that as an excuse to keep printing abroad thereby wasting scarce funds in this recession period.
DADA EMMANUEL (MASSCOMM PRESS).
- It will increase the capacity of printers in Nigeria especially in the area of speciality prints using sophisticated machines. Secondly, it will increase the number of staff in a press which ultimately generates more employment in the country. Finally, it will increase our Foreign Reserve because we will not spend our money on importation of printing materials.
JAMES (AFRICAN GRAPHICS AND PRINTING PRESS LIMITED).
- I know when Nigeria printers are given the opportunity, we perform excellently well. INEC or by extension, government should encourage us by supporting us with patronage. This will add more value and recognition to the Nigerian printing industry and it will also generate more employment opportunities to the nation has a whole.
ABAYOMI ADEDAYO (CEO LAXTOL ABELSON).
- When INEC starts printing with us locally, we will improve our revenue base and at the same time make more revenue for the country as a whole. For Printers that will be involved in printing of INEC election materials, it will be a source of encouragement to them; which will also bring about an increase in our Foreign Reserve. We don’t need to take Dollars outside to go and print because the cost of production outside there will be more expensive. Since we have the machines and qualified operators here, I see no reason why we should be printing abroad and even if we don’t have the machine – it does take the government to know the machine(s) they are using outside and bring them down here – which will really help us. I see the industry growing every day because some machines we don’t expect in the country in the next five years are now in the country. When we print some jobs here, some people ask if it was printed abroad – whereby it was printed here locally. I believe we should merge things together to work together. The security issue can be worked on; let the government provide more adequate security where and when the general election materials are being printed.
OLAMIDE KEHINDE (GRAPHIC DESIGNER NOVELS PRINT).
- It will reduce the stress of importing the general election materials and will also encourage Nigerian printers. I don’t think there will any manipulation during the printing of election materials if there is maximum security.
ABUBAKAR GBEHEOKETAN (GRAPHICS DESIGN @TCOM CREATIVE CONCEPT).
- It will reduce the money INEC will spend on the cost of production. It will also show the level of seriousness of the average Nigerian printer and how the responsible body – CIPPON has improved. It also shows that printers in the Nigeria printing industry can favourably compete with their foreign counterparts.
OLANREWAJU ESHO (MD/CEO – LD GRAPHICS).
- I can say that the Nigerian printing industry with the level of printing machineries and processes is capable of printing on anything or print anything here locally. INEC printing of election materials will help us to reduce the cost of printing outside the country thereby energising our economy. It saves time as well as reduces cost of transport, taxes and tariffs abroad.
