FACT-CHECK: Did FG Vow Not to Buy Made-in-Nigeria Vehicles?
CLAIM: One of Nigeria’s leading television stations made a post on X, formerly known as Twitter claiming that the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Dris Uzokq-Anite said the Federal Government of Nigeria would not patronize substandard vehicles locally produced in Nigeria.
FULL-TEXT: The video wherein the minister was reported to have made the statement in a virtual meeting reads, “FG Will Not Buy Substandard Made In Nigeria Vehicles – Minister.”
Reacting to the claim, An X user commented, “Where is @benmurraybruce that has been on X for the past few months taunting Nigeria to buy made-in-Nigeria products to make naira strong against dollar. Mr. “common sense” what do you have to say to the FG you have been twerking for on this issue [sic].”
VERIFICATION: To verify the authenticity of the quotation attributed to the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Dris Uzokq-Anite, PRNigeria meticulously listened to the video where the minister spoke virtually.
The statement she made reads, “The government is a consumer. They are also your customers. And like any other customer, they are also immune to bad service. We are a government and it doesn’t mean that we buy bad products because they are made in Nigeria.”
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PRNigeria observed that the minister did not categorically say that the federal government will not buy vehicles made in Nigeria.
Based on logical semantic, the speaker is simply emphasizing that the government is a consumer and customer, just like any other entity or individual. The use of phrases like “And like any other customer” suggests a sense of equality or fairness in the treatment of the government as a customer.
Additionally, the statement denies a presumption that the government would buy bad products simply because they are made in Nigeria, indicating a commitment to quality and dispelling a potential negative stereotype. Overall, the sentiment seems to be one of defending the government’s consumer role and emphasizing a commitment to purchasing good products regardless of their origin.
Furthermore, she emphasized the need for industries to produce quality vehicles that can compete with the leading automobile establishments around the world.
CONCLUSION: Findings by PRNigeria, based on the exact statement of the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Dris Uzokq-Anite, and logical semantics simply denies a presumption that the government would buy bad products simply because they are made in Nigeria, indicating a commitment to quality and dispelling a potential negative stereotype in addition to defending the government’s consumer role and emphasizing a commitment to purchasing good products regardless of their origin.
PRNigeria, therefore, concludes that the claim that the Minister was stereotyping made in Nigeria products was not only quoted out of context but is Misleading.
By PRNigeria
