Onitsha industrialist lauds FG over border closure

An Industrialist and the President General, Building Materials International Market Onitsha, Anambra state, Chief Jude Nwankwo, has commended the Federal Government of Nigeria over the closure of borders to checkmate importation of rice and other produce into the country.

Chief Nwankwo, made the commendation yesterday, during the official commissioning of over one thousand lockup shops of the Onitsha market extension at Building Materials International Market Ogidi, Idemili North local government Area of the state.

According to him, the closure of the borders will have security and economic benefits to the nation, boost local production for exportation, encouragement of indigenous manufacturers, the revival of local industries, a think-home policy for Nigerians investors living outside the country and a vacuum for employment opportunities for the
teaming youths.

He said, but the only positive way Nigerians will smell the impact of the measure is for the Federal government to keep politics apart and improve electric power supply across industrial zones of the country, particularly Lagos, Nnewi and Onitsha, where over 93 per cent small/medium manufacturing companies are stations and to make financial loans accessible to all Nigeria employers of labour in respective of their background.

“As long as our local goods are not patronized, it is a death sentence to employment opportunities in our country, he added.

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I can confidently tell you, journalist, that “since the closure of the borders, the rising cases of banditry and other criminal activities trespassing from some of the neighbouring countries into Nigeria has reduced.

He urged Nigerians, mostly the Igbos to be patient with President Mohammadu Buhari led Federal government, saying that the continued closure was in the best economic and security interests of the nation.

On the activities of the Onitsha market, Chief Nwankwo, while thanking the state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano for carrying traders in the state along in the scheme of affairs, assured that they will continue to pay their taxes and appeal to the state government to help them construct more facilities that will meet the global standard.

He said the Onitsha market extension was collectively built by the traders with the aim of making things better for them and their customers across West Africa countries.

The state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, represented by his Deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke, who emphasized the need for more companies in Anambra, called on traders in the state to also use their wealth to build industries instead of only trading, as a way of helping the present government in creating more employment opportunities for the
youths.

Commending the collective efforts of traders in building the market, the governor encouraged them to always pay their taxes in order to enable the state government to serve them and the entire people in the state better.

Also speaking, the Rep member representing Orumba North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Okwudili Ezenwankwo commended Governor Willie Obiano for investing heavily in strengthening the security network of the state which has made Anambra the first-choice destination for investors.

He also commended the market leadership for qualitative leadership style, which he said made the completion of the market a reality and advised them to sustain the peaceful co-existence in the market.

The lawmaker, while appealing to the governor to give the traders ten years tax grace in appreciation of their effort in building the edifice, called on the Igbos across Nigeria especially Anambrians to come and patronize the traders as a way of supporting the unprecedented gesture.

In their separate interview with Nigerian Tribune, the Traditional Ruler of Ogidi, Igwe Uzodinma Onyido, his Umuawulu counterpart, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu and APGA spiritual leader, Chief Remmy Ezenwuka, commended the act by the traders and called on Ndi Anambra in diaspora to emulate such gesture by bringing their wealth home to develop their own land instead of investing their money in a foreign land.