A total of twenty-six individuals and eleven organizations will be conferred with the 2019/2020 National Productivity Order of Merit Award on Thursday.
The Award among other things, aims at stimulating productivity consciousness and reward innovation, creativity and hard work among Nigerians.
It is also to recognize and reward best practices in productivity, quality and innovation.
At a media briefing in Abuja to usher in the activities lined up to observe the 19th National Productivity Day and Conferment of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award NPOM, the Federal Government said it is ready to recognise higher productivity and excellence in service of individuals and organisations and their efforts to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige said, given the cardinal role of productivity in the development of any nation, it was imperative that the citizenry be consistently reminded of the need for developing a productive mindset that will ensure the productivity growth of all the sectors of the economy.
“The government is therefore conscious of the cardinal place of productivity in the realisation of the overall development of the nation.”
He said that the present administration had 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) succeeded the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) with focus on economic diversification, investment in infrastructure, security and good governance, educated and healthy population”, Ngige said.
He also pointed to what he called the poverty alleviation and economic and social development across the States.
“It is in 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 government to observe NPD every year was predicated on the need to stimulate productivity consciousness and reward innovation, productivity and hard work among Nigerians”, he said.
The Minister described productivity as the most important determinant of social economic growth, wealth creation, employment generation and overall improved standard of living.
He said the present administration focuses on enhancing higher productivity as no nation would be self-reliant and competitive in the international market without productivity improvement in all sectors.
He disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari would on Thursday May 12, confer the awards NPOM Award to deserving individuals and organisations that have worked hard for the economic growth of the country in commemoration of the 19th NPD Day and NPOM Award for 2019 and 2020.
Some of the awardees include the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the Secretary to the Federal Government, Mr Boss Mustapha.
Others are the immediate past Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chike Ihekweazu, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Akin Aboyomi, industrialist Abdusamad Rabiu and billionaire businessman, Mike Adenuga jnr, among others.
Ngige also noted that NPOM post humous awards would be conferred on late Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh who died of the Ebola virus while quarantining Ebola patient, Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian in a medical facility in Lagos.
Others are the late Mr. Babatunde Lawal who until his death was the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Some organisations shortlisted for the award are the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Erisco Foods Limited, Financial Derivatives Limited, Lagos, Crown Flour Mills Lagos and Tummy Tummy Foods Industry Limited.
The Director-General, National Productivity Centre (NPC) Mr. Kasim Akor, commended the Minister for his continual support to the Centre.
He also commended President Buhari for taking the issue of productivity consciousness as apt for economic growth.
The 2019/2020 National Productivity Day and NPOM Award ceremonies could not hold in the stated years due to the COVID-19 pandemic which brought both economic and social activities to a halt globally.
