…NO ONE COULD TALK ABOUT LOCAL MANUFACTURING IN NIGERIA WITHOUT MENTIONING ABA – Prof Osinbajo.

by Onyebuchi Ememanka
History was made today in Aba, the great Enyimba City as Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Acting President of Nigeria was in town to launch the first ever MSME CLINIC.
The August Visitor in January was received on arrival at the Imo Airport Owerri by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu after which they flew on a chopper and landed at the event venue, the golf course of the Aba Sports Club.
The Acting President did not come alone. He was accompanied on the visit by the Minister for Industries, Trade and Investment, Abia State born Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, Executive Chairman/CEO of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Segun Awolowo, the MD/CEO of the Bank of Industry, Waheed Olagunju, the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Bello Mahmud, the Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, the Acting DG of NAFDAC and so many others.
The Acting President and Governor Ikpeazu took time to visit every single exhibition stand and interacted closely with the businessmen and local manufacturers assuring them of the resolve of the Federal Government to assist them grow. They also visited the stands of these agencies where he impressed it on them to remember that their core mandate is to assist small business to develop and grow our economy.
It was a mammoth crowd that received the Acting President. Traditional rulers, members of the Aba Business Community, the political class, etc.
The wife of the Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, Deputy Governor Ude Oko Chukwu and his wife, Members of the National Assembly- Senators Abaribe and Mao Ohuabunwa, Hon Ossy Prestige of the House of Reps, Secretary to the Government of Abia State, Dr. Eme Okoro, Members of the Abia legislature, Local Government Chairmen, etc were there.
Prof Osinbajo in his speech made it clear that no one could talk about local manufacturing in Nigeria without mentioning Aba and assured that new windows of assistance and opportunities will be made available to the average Aba business people.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in his speech expressed delight at the visit and reaffirmed his position that Aba is the SME Capital of Nigeria. He reiterated the resolve of his government to ensure that an enabling environment for the growth of commerce and industrialization is provided in Aba and the state.
He informed the audience that his government has completed a brand new INVESTMENT HOUSE in Umuahia and urged all these agencies to feel free to be accommodated there.
The train later moved to the Governor’s Lodge, just beside the Aba Sports Club where Prof Osinbajo and his entourage were treated to a banquet.
He flew out of Aba immediately after the banquet.