• Wins FG pacesetter accolade

From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi

As Nigeria makes frantic effort to diversify its economy and shift from oil-based to agriculture and industrialization economy, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbionnaya Onu, has identified Nnewi in Anambra State as a pacesetter in industrial and technology development capable of creating jobs for the unemployed.

As a matter of fact, Nnewi is home to many major indigenous manufacturing industries controlled by Chicason Group of Companies, Cutix Plc, Coscharis Group, Ibeto Group, Louis Carter Group, First Express Aluminum Company Limited, Uru Industries Limited, Innoson Group, Tummy Tummy Noodles, among many other flourishing companies.

However, the biggest problem facing these manufacturing concerns, apart from the issue of raw materials, is lack of steady and quality power supply.

During the interactive session and certificate presentation ceremony of graduate entrepreneurs of Technology Incubation Centre, Nnewi, the minister did not mince words as he said that indigenous investors have shown Nigeria the direction to go in industrialization and technological development with their resolve to produce in Nnewi most of the things imported from overseas.

Despite the challenges of Nnewi industrialists, Onu expressed delight that some of the investors started producing auto spare parts in the industrial community with the result that Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company (IVM) became the most notable vehicle manufacturing company in the country:

“We cannot continue to be importing some of the things we can produce in Nigeria. It does not benefit us as a great nation. If we continue importing, we end up exporting jobs and make our people remain unemployed while we are employing foreigners and we equally deny ourselves some revenues we would have earned.

“The President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s resolve to diversify the economy of the country from oil-based mono-economy to non-oil-based economy has set science and technology as a critical driver towards making the much needed impact in the area of innovations, inventions of new processes and procedures.”

As he commended the 14 graduands for acquiring the skills and technology to develop and employ labour, Onu promised that his ministry would help them secure funds for establishing their small and medium-scale businesses. To ensure the success of technology incubation programme, the minister said that there was dire need to establish a Science and Technology Park in Anambra State for postgraduates training of the centre.

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He said the provision of the park would lead to business clusters that would be providing the nucleus of innovation system which would benefit from linkages to suppliers, supporting organizations, knowledge institutions, as well as sharing of common facilities.

Director General, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Dr. Muhammed Jibrin, explained that the institution is Federal Government’s initiative aimed at boosting the technology and industrial base of the country by nurturing the growth of new businesses that are engaged in value-added technology and related activities.

Zonal Director of the NBTI, South East, Dr. Uchenna Patricia Chukwu, who traced the history and establishment of the Technology Incubation Centre (TIC), Nnewi to April 1998, said that the centre recorded some achievements in line with its mandate. She explained that it incubated 64 residents, 240 non-residents, 41 graduates who are into various aspects of manufacturing ranging from machine fabrication, auto parts, agro-processing, chemical and allied goods, among others.

Some of the challenges of the centre, according to Chukwu, are the provision of permanent Science and Technology Park for the relocation of graduates, which is also expected to complement the centre’s mandate as a means of promoting synergy towards reduction of cost of production. She said the centre needed to establish two additional incubation centres in the remaining senatorial zones in Anambra State as extensions to TIC Nnewi to cater for the growing population.

She said there was urgent need to complete the on-going landscaping, erosion control by the Anambra State government and to provide utility vehicle to ease the centre’s services to entrepreneurs in the hinterland.

Governor Willie Obiano represented by Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Science and Technology, Dr. Chinedu Emeka, said it was self-evident worldwide that government could not provide gainful employment for all citizens. He noted that government could create an enabling environment for citizens to thrive economically.

He explained that the state government had over 50 people with various inventions and innovations ranging from enhanced cooking stove to conversion of discarded plastic products to fuel receiving help from the government to succeed in their ventures, adding that the government was desirous to nurture local investors and innovators of various categories.

The member representing Nnewi North/ Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency, Chris Azubogu, told the audience that efforts were being made towards increasing entrepreneurial capacity of the Anambra people through the establishment of an industrial park:

“We need an industrial park in Anambra and a site is already being set aside in Nnewi South. The park has become necessary in order to fast track our industrial capacity in development.”