May 3, 2017
By Ijendu Iheaka
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia
State has assured Aba Shoe Manufacturers also known as Omenka Shoemakers that
government will not allow the entrance of the Chinese disrupt their business interests.
This was contained in a media release made available
to newsmen in Aba on Wednesday and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the
Governor, Mr Enyinnaya Appolos.
According to Appolos, the meeting held at the
Governor's lodge in Aba was convened to brief Aba shoemakers on the gains of
having Chinese investors in the Aba shoe industry.
The governor also challenged the representatives of
the 14 clusters to leverage on the coming of the Chinese to improve on their
skills and learn new ways of doing business.
Ikpeazu further warned that the government will do
everything to counter attempts to frustrate its efforts to attract foreign
investment to the state.
The governor said he invited them to brief them on
his recent trip to China with the made-in-Aba campaign and commended them for retaining
their place in the Nigerian leather and garment industry.
“I promised when I was campaigning to be governor in
2015 that I will promote made-in-Aba goods. I have been doing that and I am
ready to take it a notch higher to “make in Aba”.
"When I went to china, I met with a major investor in the shoe industry who indicated interest in investing $1.5b in our economy,
"When I went to china, I met with a major investor in the shoe industry who indicated interest in investing $1.5b in our economy,
“And the investor- Mr. Zhang Huarong of Huajian Shoe
Factory Guangdong, China, visited Abia State last Sunday and I took him to some
industrial locations within Aba, where we think he can site his industry.
"As those in the business, I must brief you and also assure you that his coming will not in any way affect your business negatively.
"As those in the business, I must brief you and also assure you that his coming will not in any way affect your business negatively.
“As your brother and your governor, it is my duty to
protect your interest and that I must do. But let me also challenge you to take
advantage of his coming to improve and upgrade your processes and systems in
the industry.
"This government will do everything to protect your business interest and also do everything to thwart any plan to frustrate foreign investment into the state”, Ikpeazu warned.
"This government will do everything to protect your business interest and also do everything to thwart any plan to frustrate foreign investment into the state”, Ikpeazu warned.
The governor told them that 100 shoemakers from Aba
will be going to China any moment for further training in modern shoemaking
that will impact positively on their output and quality.
Responding, Chairman of the Omenka Shoemakers, Aba, Mr. Okechukwu Williams, thanked the governor for finding time to brief them, and also for dousing their fears over the Chinese investors.
Responding, Chairman of the Omenka Shoemakers, Aba, Mr. Okechukwu Williams, thanked the governor for finding time to brief them, and also for dousing their fears over the Chinese investors.
He said that they had thought that the entrance of
the Chinese will take away their businesses from them.
He thanked the governor on behalf of their members for promoting their products vigorously in an unprecedented way never seen in any regime since they started producing shoes .
He thanked the governor on behalf of their members for promoting their products vigorously in an unprecedented way never seen in any regime since they started producing shoes .
They pleaded with the Governor to ensure that only members of the Omenka shoemakers in Aba will make the list of 100 persons that will go to China for further training.
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