Executive Order 5: Why Buhari asked indigenous professionals abroad to return home – Onu
Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, has said the Executive Order 5, which was recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari was designed to make Nigerian economy to become knowledge-based, technological driven, innovative and abreast with the current challenges confronting the nation.
Onu, who spoke during the South-South Dialogue on the Presidential Executive Order No. 5 in Port-Harcourt, said the Federal Government would empower more Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora, to participate effectively in the management of the economy by attracting both local and foreign investments.
He said that Nigerian professionals in all fields had greater opportunities to participate in the economy by utilising the tax incentives and other waivers given to them by the Executive Order 5.
He said: “The Federal Government will henceforth place premium on the use of indigenous professionals and firms in the design and execution of projects involving national security.
“Foreign experts will only be engaged on condition that such expertise is not available in Nigeria. Even when they are engaged, Nigerian professionals would be attached to understudy them.
“All Ministries, Departments and Agencies are to take steps to encourage indigenous professionals in the Diaspora to return home and use their expertise to develop Nigeria.
“It was on this basis that a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, visited three states in the USA from 27th August to 3rd September, 2018.”
