By Merit Ibe
The newly inaugurated president of United Allied Spare Parts Dealers Association (UASPDA), Simon Uzoetue, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to restructure and reposition the ultra modern machine parts market at the Trade Fair Complex, ahead of market boom coming from the rising global demand for motorcycles and three wheelers spare parts which experts predicted will hit $15 billion by the end of 2022.
Uzoetue, the first democratically elected president of UASPDA, explained this vision as the main reason for floating the UASPDA Reformation Party, which is the platform that produced him as president.
He emerged victorious at a free and fair election conducted on May 26 and 31, 2022 by a team of dedicated intellectuals who made up the Independent UASPDA Electoral Committee (IUEC).
Other successful candidates in the election include Arinze Enyibuaku, Vice-president; Uzochukwu Mmaduike, general secretary; Francis Nnabuchi, assistant secretary; Louis Egbunike, financial secretary; Chibuzor Egbuna, treasurer; Chinedu Nwosu, provost; Michael Okeagu, PRO; Blessing Nzewi, welfare officer and financial secretary Ifeanyi Okechukwu.
In his inaugural speech, Uzoetue acknowledged that the need to bring reforms in the market was long overdue.
“Yes, because every human effort made in past years to have this election proved ,abortive until God’s time. I must also thank those that the Lord used to realise this dream, most especially the IUEC, URP and ULM.”
Throwing more light on the anticipated boom in the industry, the General Secretary Uzochukwu Mmaduike explained that “ this market and UASPDA as a union is the bedrock and reference point for all grassroots transportation and industrialisation both in Nigeria and Africa. So, we can’t afford to fail. China was the highest users of conventional motorbikes and three-wheelers, but Nigeria is taking over because, China is shifting to electric motor models. Therefore, when experts predict a global market boom of more than USD 15 billion, Nigeria and UASPDA in particular will account for at least 36 percent of it.”