A government press is a printing outfit owned by the government either at the local, state, or federal level established mainly for the handling of government jobs because of the peculiar nature of these jobs/documents.
The establishment of government printing presses in Nigeria was a post-colonial concept introduced by the colonial masters to control the handling of government printing jobs for security reasons
They were responsible for undertaking all government printing works such as printing of various government Publications, Journals, Reports, Official Gazette, Budget Documents, Finance Accounts, Appropriation Accounts, Audit Reports, Report of the Auditor General of India relating to the State government, various Rules of the state government; Pamphlets, Brochures, Posters, etc. relating to various programs of the government; all kinds of D.O Letter heads, Visiting Cards, Invitation Cards of government officials; large numbers of scheduled forms and non-schedule forms use in state government departments etc.; It also undertakes printing of Ballot Papers for Parliamentary, Assembly, and District Council elections, printing works of autonomous bodies on payment basis.
They were also responsible for supervising the production of any government printing job that was beyond their capacity
The first government printing press was established at Broad Street, Lagos in 1914, it provided stationery materials to the Government during the colonial era four government press offices were established at Enugu, Ibadan, Cameroon, and Lagos, it had an initial staff strength of less than two hundred. However, by 1933 the production capacity of the press had improved tremendously production later included trade journals, letters of credence, white paper, rules and regulations, treasury books and forms, etc. Consequent to this the department became a very important body in government; hence a printing regulation law (Printing Press Regulations Ordinance)
Today we have government printing presses in the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They as a department under the state Ministry of information. We also have the federal government printing press located in Abuja which also operates as a department under the Federal Ministry of information.
The objectives and functions of the Federal government printing press
Objectives
1. Transforming government information into permanent printed matter which can reach the populace all over the country and internationally, such printed matter can be stored permanently for national interest and prosperity, and carrying out manpower development programmes in the printing profession to both the staff and other governmental agencies.
2. Production of all printing and publishing requirements of the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies.
3. Ensuring that all jobs performed to date have been handled with utmost credibility to the satisfaction of the government and other clients who acclaim our standards and service delivery as a reference beacon of excellence in the country.
Functions/Duties
• To print all Federal Government Publications such as Legal Books, Official Gazettes, Hansards, Instrument of Appointment of Judges and Ambassadors on external postings, Agreement Papers between Nigeria and other foreign countries, Report from various Ministries, Ledger Books, Classified Treasury Books and Forms, Constitutions, Laws of the Federation, Statutory Instruments, Audit Reports, Financial Regulations, Public Service Rules, Customs Tariffs, National Assembly Bills and Proceedings, Law Reports, etc.
• To supply to all Federal Government Offices throughout the federation stationery items such as duplicating paper, ruler, eraser, biro, stapler, etc.
