We won’t allow local printing, publishing industries to collapse ― FG

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu

The Federal Government has pledged to support the printing and publishing industry and not allow the sub-sector of the national economy to collapse the way of many industries in Nigeria.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, spoke when he received a delegation from the Academy Press Plc, an indigenous printer and publisher of educational and examination materials, who paid him a working visit.

Adamu expressed the commitment of the Federal Government to encourage local printers and publishers to flourish through patronage and provision of a conducive environment.

He said there was the need to support indigenous printers and publishers in line with the present administration’s policy of promoting local content.

Adamu said the government has resolved to make the industry more conducive for practitioners through the evolvement of more enabling policies.

He said since the government was aware of the industry’s huge job creation potentials, it behoves on it to make it more viable.

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Chairman of Academy Press, Mr Wahab Dabiri, in his remark, advocated support for established publishers from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and others, in the same the Federal Government is supporting the manufacturing and agricultural industries.

Dabiri lamented that the industry, which has the potentials of creating huge employment opportunities and growing the revenue base of the economy, is currently producing below 50 per cent of its capacity.

Managing Director, Academy Press Plc, Mr Gbenga Ladipo, noted that the use of foreign printers was inhibiting the growth of local printers.

He stressed that if the government does not intervene, the printing and publishing would go the way of moribund industries in the country.

Ladipo called on the government to reduce the tariff on books produced locally which is as high as 35 per cent while imported books are at zero tariffs, while also urging the government to industrialise the printing industry by ensuring the establishment of a paper mill in the country.

He asserted that the establishment of a paper mill would enable local printers and publishers to compete favourably with their foreign counterpart.