A foremost industralist and Chairman, Ohafia Local Government Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Igwe Ojike (MON), has commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for his encouragement and development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and other Industries in Abia State.
Eze Ojike was speaking while rubbing mind with news men in Umuahia recently. He expressed satisfaction on the Governor’s SME and Industrial policies, including his vision and plan of the Enyimba Economic City.
According to Eze Ojike, “on industrial policy, we have actually praised him for all the efforts he is making in Enyimba city. Enymba city, if it is realized, as an economic zone, will bring a lot of Industrial development to Abia State.” He further stressed that the siting of the city where we can easily develop a Sea Port is plausible. “If we develop a Sea Port in that Ukwa zone it will lesson our dependence on Lagos, it will also serve, not just Abia State, but all the other Igbo States, very well and comfortably.”
Eze Ojike, who is equally a Chattered Accountant, of over 50 years standing, said that the Governor has done well in fixing Infrastructure in the State. In his words, “he has done marvelously well in the area of infrastructural development, particularly, in Aba.” He also saluted Governor Ikpeazu’s strides in education including his committment to assist tertiary institutions in the State to perform their duties.
He, however, stressed the need, for the State, to grow to the level of preserving and exporting its Agricultural produce, saying that it would yield a lot of revenue for the State. He further opined that the structures are almost on ground to achieve that and called on the people to divest their attentions to doing what is economically viable, including establishing Silos or cooling vans for the preservation of vegetables and other agricultural produce which could be exported and sold to Nigerian’s living abroad.
The royal father lauded the quantum of support the Governor gives to farmers observing that “we are gifted in Palm oil production… I’m happy to see his attitude, to see his encouragement of farmers to mobilize seeds and make sure that we develop this Industry which is God’s gift to Igbo land. We can’t afford to waste what God has given to us, because if we don’t process them they will get wasted and become economically meaningless. ”
He urged the Governor to go ahead and do all that is necessary to lift Abia to a higher level saying that, “people remember Dr. M. I Ọkpara and Sam Mbakwe because of what they did. He should do reasonably enough, not minding whatever people say. Let him be focused so that in the end we will say, Ikpeazu did this. We will never forget him”
The traditional ruler, who stated that, to reach the highest level in the Ease of Doing Business, in Nigeria and Abia State in particular, “we have to do more for it. we have to tackle infrastructural problems, we have to tackle the demands of local governments and approved plans, we have to tackle the issue of water, we have to tackle the issue of electricity and, most importantly, acquisition of land.” He added that these indices are very important hence he advised Abians to continue to support the government.