Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has inaugurated a seven-member management board for the newly-established Enyimba Automated Shoe Factory with a charge to run the factory as a commercial business enterprise. The factory is scheduled to start formal production operations next month.
Governor Ikpeazu, while Inaugurating the committee in Umuahia, said shoe factory was established to put Abia in the mainstream of a competitive global shoe market and to consolidate the position of Aba in particular and Abia State in general as a global hub for shoe manufacturing and other leather products.
The Governor said the objective was to cause paradigm shift in the old way of shoe production and key into the new dynamics of shoe production with acceptable global standards.
Ikpeazu informed that all equipment in the factory were brand new and some of the best in the world, adding that the factory is expected to churn out close to 2 million pairs of shoes annually.
He charged the Managing Director of the Factory, Mr Kito Dominic, and other board members to bring to bear their wealth of experience in developing a brand that will compete favourably in the competitive global market.
Members of the Board include Mark Atasie, Chairman; Kito Dominic, the Managing Director; Chimaeze Nwafor, Chinenye Nwaogu, Executive Director, Operations; Ada Oseiza, Executive Director, Marketing; Ide John Udeagbala and Osaro Ekonweren, the Technical Partner.
Meanwhile, the technical partner has assured the factory would start production before the end of next month.
Speaking after the inauguration of the Board, Mr Ekonweren said that the factory presently has an installed capacity for the production of 5,000 pairs of shoes daily which translates to about 2 million shoes annually.
He thanked the State government for its foresight in establishing the factory which he said would create job opportunities for many youths in the State when it becomes functional.