Senate President, Ahmed Lawal has stressed the need for Nigerians to patronize locally made goods as a way of growing the economy and providing employment opportunities for the youths.
Sen Lawal stated this at Umukalika, Obingwa LGA, when he commissioned the Enyimba Automated Shoe and Garment Company (ENASCO) constructed by the Abia State Government, which has the capacity to produce 5,000 pairs of shoes daily which translates to about 2million pairs of shoes annually.
Senator Lawal argued that for Nigeria to have a more prosperous country, it must embark on massive import substitution.
He said: “We cannot continue to import everything and anything into Nigeria. We do not have the foreign exchange anymore so this project in addition to providing employment in the local communities and in Abia direct way and indirectly the leather industry, these places will get more employment opportunities”.
The Senate President who commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for establishing the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company despite lean resources available to the State said the gesture has proved that the Governor is prudent and efficient in managing the state’s resources.
He maintained that the future belongs to the youths hence the need to engage them in productive ventures to ensure a stable society.
While noting that the project deserves every possible support from the Federal Government agencies, such as the Bank of industry and the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others, Senator Lawal said he would push for support as well as collaborate with the state government to provide employment for the youths to work and earn decent living.
In his remarks, the Governor ,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu disclosed that about one million youths are engaged in the leather and garment sub-sector of the state adding that his government has been able to tie end to end issues of power, machine automation and marketing of products which have remained major challenges to Aba shoe makers.
The Governor restated that it is through the use of made in Nigeria products that the economy of the country can be enhanced.
He further said that the essence of setting up the company is to have a greater share in the growing shoe enterprise as ENASCO will produce five thousand pairs of shoes daily.
The Governor disclosed that before the next six months, machines for the Enyimba Garment Factory will arrive the state from Turkey, adding that the company will provide the State the leverage to contribute its quota in the competitive global garment market.
The Commissioner for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Mrs Adaku Oseiza who described the project as a dream come true, said it has provided the state the opportunity to sharpen and improve the productive capacity of Aba shoe makers through automation.
Earlier in an address, the Chairman, Enyimba Automated Shoe Company ENASCO Mr Mark Atasie said that the vision of ENASCO is to be one of the most recognized leather companies out of Africa in the next 5 years while its mission is to elevate to a world class reckoning the Aba shoe Industry.
He listed the company’s take off products to include work boots, School Shoes, military desert boots, police shoes, dress shoes for men among others , adding that the company has distributors in Lagos, Abuja and Abia in addition to online sales platforms.
The event was attended by the deputy Governor Sir Ude Okochukwu, the Senate Chief Whip Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, the Senator Representing Abia Central Chief T.A Orji, former Chief of Army Staff General Azubuike Ihejirika, Senator Chris Adighije, Senator Yakubu Hoseni,Some APC Chieftains including Chief Anyim Nyerere, Executive Secretary NAWDA Prince Paul Ikonne , members of the state Executive Council,the Abia State traditional institution led by Eze Joseph Nwabeke, Captains of industry, various PDP Pro-Women and Youth groups.
