Lessons from Made-in-Aba trade fair, Abuja

THE fourth Made-in-Aba trade fair kicked off in Abuja on Monday andended on Friday, showcasing the huge potential in local manufacturing.It was a big deal for Abuja residents, who were once again broughtface-to-face with the ingenuity of the manufacturers from EnyimbaCity.

The fair, a zonal intervention fund initiative (also tagged constituency projects) of Senator EyinnayaAbaribe, the Senatorrepresenting Abia South Senatorial District, was an eye opener in manyrespects.

Besides the series of inventions displayed by the local manufacturers,there is also the confirmation that not all government agencies haveimbibed the buy Nigeria campaign of this government. To many agenciesout there, the campaign remains largely on the lips.

Notwithstanding the loud noise the Ministry of Trade and Investment iscredited with in recent times, the Minister, OkechukwuEnelamah wasnowhere near the venue. Though the Permanent Secretary was sighted atthe opening ceremony, the stamp of this important Ministry was neverseen on the Fair. But the good enough, the Military and ParamilitaryAgencies were fully on hand. They had benefitted from huge donations of boots and belts at the last edition.

The Army has already placed huge orders for boots from Aba, just as weunderstand that the NYSC is also thinking of procuring boots for corpsmembers from the city.

With the way the week long Trade Fair went by, it also became apparentthat much of what government officials do in public offices are meantfor the cameras. The commitment is really lacking. Thus, besides theSmall and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), which wasfully committed to the Fair, no other Ministry, Department of Agency(MDA) really scratched the ground.

Yes, some Ministers including theMinister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and his counterpart in Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige went round the venue, largelyon sight-seeing; the occasion should have afforded government,especially the Ministry of Trade and Investment the opportunity toslam some policy statements on the ground to boost morale and thecapacity of the manufacturers.

But the good news that emanated from the Fair was not hampered by the failings of the government people. Abia State governor, Dr OkezieIkpeazu, told the gathering that the manufacturers are already coastinghome with huge foreign exchange earnings.

He said that local manufacturers of shoes and leather export at leastone million shoes to Europe on a weekly basis.

His Special Assistant, Sam Hart, who broke down the figures, said thatwith 15,000 shoe makers in Aba, who produce 300,000 shoes per day, theAba manufacturers are able to gather one million products for exporton a weekly basis. The manufacturers are estimated to earn about N1billion weekly. Ordinarily you will think that officials of a government who is looking to shore up its foreign exchange earningswould jump at the opportunities presented by the made in Aba products.

Senate President BukolaSaraki, who was represented by Deputy SenateLeader, Senator BalaIbnNa’Allah would not allow the event to gowithout placing his voice on record. Saraki had since last yearremained at the forefront of promoting Made in Nigeria goods alongsideAbaribe.

The Senate President had told the gathering that following the thirdedition held last year, the Senate had taken it further by passing amotion to enable government agencies buy Nigerian products, whileamendment to the Procurement Act was also passed in order toinstitutionalise the procurement policy.

The amendment, according to him, would ensure that local manufacturersbenefit from the over N2 trillion government expenditure onprocurement.

Deputy Senate Leader, Senator BalaNa’Allah while speaking said thatNigerian need Igbo technology now, more than any other time. “If thereis anytime Nigeria needs the Igbos, it is now.”

If anyone is in doubt of the capacity of small and medium scaleindustries to turn around the economy, such a man needs to hear fromthe Director General of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umar Radda who told thegathering that small and medium enterprises are responsible for 84 per cent of the Nigerian Labour workforce.

The Aba manufacturers appear to have no limits to what they try theirhands on. From wears to all manners of shoes, harts, caps, solarpanels, electric stabilizers and other household appliances, the skyseems the beginning. With little or no government support, Abamanufacturers are already hitting Europe and other parts of the world.

Our Trade Ministry, the Central Bank and others with mandate topromote local manufacturing should take it up from there. If thegovernment at the centre truly deploys its full backing and institutesdeliberate policies to enhance the buy Nigeria campaign, a big boomreally beckons.