Buhari bestows productivity award on Adenuga, others

President Muhammadu Buhari will this morning, Thursday, bestow the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) on Chairman of Globacom, Mike Adenuga; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Akin Aboyomi and the late Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, who died from the Ebola virus.
The NPOM award for 2019 and 2020 is part of the commemoration of the 19th National Productivity Day (NPD).

Those that will bag awards at the ceremony include, the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu; the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha; immediate past Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chike Ihekweazu; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Akin Aboyomi; industrialist and Abdusamad Rabiu.

Speaking on the awards, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, listed the late Mr Babatunde Lawal, who until his death was the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The organisations shortlisted for the award include the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Erisco Foods Limited, Financial Derivatives Limited Lagos, Crown Flour Mills Lagos and Tummy Tummy Foods Industry Limited.

Ngige said the Buhari administration has continued to exhibit dedication to the overall socio-economic growth and development of the nation to transform it for an improved standard of living for all Nigerians.

He said: “The government is, therefore, conscious of the cardinal place of productivity in the realisation of the overall development of the nation. The priority areas vision for Nigeria is clear and achievable and the administration focuses on enhancing higher productivity, as no nation can be self-reliant and competitive in the international market without productivity improvement in all sectors of the economy.

“This administration has successfully charted a path for economic growth and development for Nigeria with a new development plan. The Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP 2021-2025) succeeds the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) with a focus on economic diversification, investment in infrastructure, security and good governance, educated and healthy population, poverty alleviation and economic and social development across the states.”

Ngige maintained that no nation can enhance the quality of life of its citizens and be self-reliant and competitive in the international market without productivity improvement in all sectors of the economy.

He described productivity as the most important determinant of social-economic growth, wealth creation, employment generation and overall improved standard of living.

He said: “Given the cardinal role of productivity, the citizenry must be consistently reminded of the need for the development of a productive mindset that would ensure the productive growth of all sectors of the economy. It is in the realisation of this that the Federal Government through the National Policy on Productivity declared that a day shall be observed as the National Productivity Day (NPD) throughout the country every year. The decision of the government to observe NPD every year was predicated on the need to stimulate productivity consciousness and reward innovation, productivity and hard work among Nigerians.”