David Onwuchekwa Nnewi
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group of Companies, Nnewi, Anambra State, Chief Innocent Chukwuma has given the assurance that sales and distribution of auto vehicles manufactured in Nnewi by Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing company (IVM) would soon cover the entire African Continent having already conquered the West African sub-region.
Chief Chukwuma gave the assurance on the occasion of his 59th birthday held in Nnewi and organized by a committee of friends.
He explained that vehicles produced by the IVM could, by every standard, compete favourably with others produced in any part of the world in terms of quality in all ramifications just as they are also affordable.
He said that proper research was always conducted before the vehicles were produced to ensure that customers’ taste and quality standards were met.
Chief Chukwuma declared that all he needed was patronage and encouragement from governments at all levels, individuals and organizations with a firm promise that the vehicle plant has the capacity to produce up to 10,000 units of vehicles per annum at the moment.
Coordinator of the birthday party, Hon. Emma Nsoedo said that the committee of friends were moved by the antecedents of Chukwuma to organize the birthday bash to appreciate what he called laudable contributions the celebrant had made to the development of Nnewi, Anambra State and Nigeria in general.
He described Chief Chukwuma as being unassuming, philanthropic and the foremost investor in automobile throughout Africa.
Nsoedo noted that the cream of people that attended the birthday party was significant to show who Chukwuma is.
Another member of the committee and senior lawyer in Nnewi, Osaeloka Osigwe said that the Innoson CEO deserved more than that considering what has been giving back to society.
He noted that history would never forget him as the pioneer of vehicle manufacturing in Nigeria.
“It is not easy to transfer technology from one country to another which Innoson has done. Governments at all levels should do all they could to support his wonderful escapades in the auto industry. And he has created job opportunities for thousands of unemployed people. He should be patronized,” Osigwe said.
The event was attended by captains of industries, including Chief Louis Carter Onwugbenu, another renowned industrialist in Nnewi, government officials, religious leaders, people from all walks of life and Chief Chukwuma with members of his family.
Onitsha Drug Market calls on NAFDAC to evacuate fake drugs in market
• Rejects proposed Oba wholesale market
The Chairman of Ogbogwu International Market Bridgehead Onitsha, Anambra State, Mr Anthony Chike Ezioba has said that the union has been partnering with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in the fight against fake drugs, adulterated and unwholesome products in the market.
He disclosed that NAFDAC officials visit the drug market every week to go round with members of the union to check if there is any unwholesome product in the market, noting that in the recent times no such products had been discovered in the market.
Ezioba who spoke to Sunday Sun appealed to NAFDAC as matter of urgency to come and evacuate the expired drugs packed in the union’s store which he said is filled up since early this year, adding that the removal of the expired drugs which were returned to the union office by the traders willingly would help to prevent them from getting into wrong hands.
He said that he had made several appeals to NAFDAC office on the need to evacuate the expired drugs which had taken over the store of the union and now not allowing them space to keep more in the place when returned by the traders, saying this would make the traders to be keeping the expired drugs in their shops while some may be tempted to sell them to the consumers.
“Despite the fact that NAFDAC promised us about three months ago that they would come and carry the expired drugs voluntarily returned by the traders, we have not seen them up till now. We are using this medium to appeal to them to come and evacuate the expired drugs because our storeroom has been filled up and no space to be parking such drug again in our office. They should come as a matter of urgency before the expired drug enters the wrong hands in the market,” he said.
Old motor spare parts dealers in Nnewi lose 20 stalls to erosion
• Traders relocate to Onitsha, Lagos, village
David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Chairman of Fairly Used Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association, Nkwo Nnewi Market, Anambra State, Mr Chinedu Enyeribe, has lamented over devastating erosion menace at that section of the market.
Mr Enyeribe who led Sunday Sun to the erosion site at the market said that the menace had been there for over a decade, adding that traders had made series of appeals to all levels of government, including Anambra State to come to their rescue to no avail.
He said that only three days ago, the erosion consumed four stalls after a heavy rain in addition to about 16 stalls previously destroyed “before I assumed office in 2018.”
His words: “We came to market three days ago only to see that four more stalls had caved into the advancing erosion. This number was added to 16 stalls previously destroyed before I assumed office last year.
“Some of the traders whose stalls were destroyed by the erosion have returned to their villages while some relocated to Onitsha, Lagos and other cities they could afford to relocate to. We have lost many of our members to other towns.”
He said that the market executive had taken their problem to the member representing Nnewi North/Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Hon. Chris Azubogu who Enyeribe said promised the traders to do something, but had not done anything so far.
According to the chairman, journalists from various media houses had visited the erosion site, done stories on it, “but the authorities who are addressed concerning the menace would pretend not to read or listen to those stories in the media until we are completely sacked.”
As a palliative measure, he said the traders had recently planted bamboo trees inside the gully to see whether that could help checkmate the rampaging soil erosion.
On some of his achievements so far in office, Enyeribe said that his administration had tried to decongest the market to give it a clean look and created more parking lots.
He told Sunday Sun that traders had started reconstruction of their dilapidated roads abandoned over the years.
He also gave the assurance that stolen vehicles would no longer be dismantled at the market as his executive had been keeping records of all vehicles brought in for sales and to make sure their documents were complete and genuine.
One of the traders whose stall is almost eroded now, Mr Emeka Udeh, wondered why the government had continued to pretend not to hear the cry of the traders over the menace.
He said that traders could stop paying their revenues to government, if nobody would listen to them.
Products in Alaba market meet international standard –Berlin Wu
Peter Anosike
The Executive Director of Gacio Skyrun, a cable manufacturing company, Mr Berlin Wu, has said that electrical products in Alaba International Market, Lagos meet international standards.
According to him, most of the importers in the market comply with international best practices.
He noted that because of that those who are producing for Nigerian market abroad have upped their standard to be among the best in the world.
He disclosed that the collaboration, which electrical dealers are doing with Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) was bearing good fruits.
His words: “We are into cables of all sizes. We also produce distribution bulbs, extension sockets, energy bulbs of all sizes LED bulbs, sockets and switches and we make sure that every of our product has SONCAP and produced under the highest international standard.
“We know that Nigerians are good people and they deserve good things. Electrical products are life endangering items that cause a lot of hazard and harm ranging from fire, injury, loss of property and even death. Because of this standard is very important. I am, therefore, very happy that Standards Organizations of Nigeria and electrical dealers association of Nigeria are on the same page and working for the interest of the end users and the economy.”
He said that today’s made in Nigeria wires and cables are the best in the world.
He pointed out that this was as a result of the collaboration, which the regulatory bodies are doing with the electrical dealers association.
He advised that government to try to also get involved in the activities of electrical dealers by giving them incentive that would help in the expansion of their businesses.
Avoid non-compliant trade, SON DG charges Alaba traders
Peter Anosike
The Director General of Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Osita Aboloma, has advised traders in Alaba International Market, Lagos to avoid trading on non-compliant goods.
Speaking at the stakeholders` sensitization programme in the market, he said that the SON Act No.14 of 2015 has provided the agency with enough instruments to deal with anyone who is bent on endangering the lives of fellow Nigerians, as well as the economy.
According to him, seizure and destruction of substandard products and prosecution of offenders are adequately provided for in the SON Act.
Towards this end, he said that they seek greater commitment and collaboration as critical stakeholders in the battle against the menace of substandard, adulterated, counterfeit and life-endangering electrical products.
The SON DG said that his mission to the market was to enhance mutually beneficial collaboration in the collective interest of the national economy and quality of lives of Nigerians.
His words: “In line with the Federal Government`s commitment to creating an enabling environment for the ease of doing business in Nigeria, we have come to further demonstrate our deep commitment to continual improvement in products and services delivery in order to promote economic development. In view of the above, we have made concerted efforts to facilitate trade and fast track the import process by doing the following, upgrading our portals to be functionally active, where all our services and respective procedures are showcased. It is accessible to the general public round the clock”.
He said that other things that they have done include, reduction of turnaround time through automation of their processes, establishment of risk profile of importers to ensure that those with good track records do not undergo unnecessary delays during clearance of their from ports.
He said that they are currently test-running the deployment of electronic demand notes, receipts and cargo clearance, to reduce the turnaround time and human contact in their service delivery.
He disclosed that the battle they are confronted with on a daily basis include, continuous claim of lack of awareness on the part of importers, distributors, retailers and consumers, deliberate and willful importation of substandard products by Nigerians and their foreign collaborators, adulteration, counterfeiting and faking of certified quality products and false declaration of goods in import documents.
He said that the electrical market of Alaba International is reputed to be the largest electrical market in Africa, adding that the electrical market is noted for only good quality products.