From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Former Nigeria’s Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) recently stormed Anambra State with his entourage on a friendly visit to some outstanding manufacturing companies in the industrial city of Nnewi.
General Abubakar had visited Chicason Group of Companies Limited, Kotec Group of Companies, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, IVM, Gabros Industries Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah Sports Stadium and Ibeto Industries Limited, all in Nnewi industrial cluster.
While at the Tummy Tummy factory, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kotec Group of Companies, Chief Chika Emenike told the former Head of State in an address that Nigerians still remembered quite clearly that he displayed uncommon leadership qualities among which was his peaceful handover of power to a democratically elected government.
“After all, if you wished you could have stayed longer. But you chose not to. You are indeed a patriotic Nigerian. Since hosting a calibre of person like you is rare, we wish to seize this great opportunity to inform you that since the establishment of this factory about 10 years ago, it may interest you to know that we have never enjoyed public power supply for two hours uninterrupted in any day. We constantly run on our generator sets, which involves huge expenditure. This is one of our problems,” Chief Emenike lamented.
He said that since those in authority could listen to the visiting former Head of State, that the companies in Nnewi would like him to mediate for them by letting the the appropriate quarters know the painful conditions industrialists in that part of the country were passing through.
Similarly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chicason Group, Chief Chika Okafor and the Managing Director, Engr Oliver Ilozue who conducted Abubakar round the company’s plants, told him that the company started as a trading concern and then diversified into other components, including manufacturing, agriculture, oil and gas, mining, among others.
In the same vein, Chief Okafor pointed out that inadequate power supply was a major problem confronting manufacturing companies in the country, adding that the ugly trend had forced Chicason Group to now produce below 20 per cent capacity and consequent reduction in work force, while many other manufacturers who could not cope with the current high cost of petrol and diesel were completely forced out of business.
He noted that if the company had not diversified into other fields with different plants, it would not have remained in business till today, saying that as at 1995, about 58 manufacturing companies were in existence but today, many of them had gone into extinction, to the extent that even as at February, this year, the companies could boast of about 2,000 workers andt now the workforce has been reduced as a result of the bad economy.
Okafor commended Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State for maintaining adequate security in the state, expressing optimism that agriculture and solid mineral would assist in boosting the nation’s economy in the next three years.
Earlier in an introductory speech, Rotarian Ben Aghazu, the proprietor of Nnewi Hotels Limited described Abubakar as a bossom friend who had specifically come to Nnewi to commission his newly completed hotel and then decided to visit all the major industries in the industrial city.
Responding, Gen. Abubakar who was accompanied by the former civilian Governor of old Kaduna State, Abubakar Rimi and former civilian Governor of Enugu State, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, commended the companies for withering the storm to remain afloat, urging them not to relent as he pointed out that no country could rely only on importation of goods and services and survive economically.