How UBEC is reviving small printing, publishing houses – Ibzar

From Bashir Liman, Jos How is printing and publishing faring in Nigeria in the face of enormous challenges of insufficient power and capital among others? Printing and publishing has a long history, it has been ongoing for hundreds of years. It deals with printing of many things which help in many aspects. There is no […]

From Bashir Liman, Jos

How is printing and publishing faring in Nigeria in the face of enormous challenges of insufficient power and capital among others?

Printing and publishing has a long history, it has been ongoing for hundreds of years. It deals with printing of many things which help in many aspects. There is no government agency, ministry and parastatal, or school and institution or any student or civil and public servant that is not using materials from the printing and publishing industry.  And here in Nigeria, the industry is dominated by printing of school note books, text books, and instructional materials.

We in the industry also print invitation cards for naming ceremonies, birthday celebrations, wedding ceremony, and funeral ceremonies. The industry is also dominated by printing of journals, brochures and magazines. We also print political posters, annuals reports for the companies, firms, organizations and government. Some schools, either secondary or tertiary institutions, contracted us to print examination questions for them.

What about novels?

We are also printing novels, both Hausa and English ones. In my company, we aren’t just printing novels, we do select, we want novels that could have positive impacts on readers anywhere in the world.  There are lots of writers but they don’t have capital, in this instance, we collect their manuscripts and go through them, if they worth publishing, we would publish based on our agreement with the writers.

What role do you think the printing and publishing industry is playing in terms of revenue generation and in reducing unemployment in Nigeria?

No, doubt the industry is crucial in many aspects for this nation. It has played a huge role in terms of generating revenue to the government and in providing job opportunities to our teeming youths. Anywhere activities of the industry is going on, you will see many people involved in it.

It has provided employment for the teaming youths; you will see first-hand workers – those that package books, T-Shirts, and campaign posters among others after printing them. The industry also involves marketers, retailers, engineers and managers. All these people that I mentioned above have played a vital role from the typesetting of any material to be printed or published to the finished product in the hand of the consumer. The industry also helps in generating income for the government, because the printing and publishing companies pay taxes.

What is your assessment of the industry under the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration?

The federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari has been taking positive measures in strengthening the industry. The Federal Ministry of Education and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) have been working hand in hand with small printing and publishing companies in Nigeria in order to improve and revive them and the results we have seen so far are breathtaking.

The Federal Ministry of Education under the able leadership of Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu and Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hameed Bobboyi have put heads together and also  assigned their staff to expand the scope of given contracts to not only the few big printing and publishing companies, which aren’t more than 10, but to also small printing & publishing companies. By doing so, the small printing and publishing companies would be strong.

My findings have so far revealed  to me that over 500 small printing and publishing companies and non-printing companies have been engaged to either print text books or instructional materials for primary and secondary schools.

Prior to president Buhari’s administration, there was corruption where a lot of payments have been made to contractors without having them deliver on what was agreed upon. But now if UBEC gives you contract it would make 70% payment, it would also send its delegate to confirm that what the publisher did has been up to standard before it completed the 30% of the payment. This thorough check also stops people from getting money without doing the proper thing.

I can remember vividly sometimes ago there were about 600 publishers, they have their manuscripts of unpublished books, because they don’t have the capital, but now these books would be published through these small printing and publishing companies. The companies would publish the books and bring them to UBEC, the commission would go through the books and if approved, the books would then be distributed to primary and secondary schools. It is a plus for us the publishers and also we must commend the federal ministry of education and UBEC for making that positive move, because this measure.

What is your call to publishers?

I want them to take their work seriously, let them be honest and be steadfast in their job and also be innovative and creative. I urge them to work round the clock in taking the industry to greater height, let them also focus on books that could impact the readers positively.

There are annual events on book exhibitions taking place in many states across the country. There are also seminars on different fruitful strategies on printing and publishing, I want them to be attending. These events could help them to expand their scope of thinking, approach and execution regarding the industry.