ENUGU: The Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to encourage local entrepreneurs, vowing that the commission would henceforth patronize Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) plant.
Egba said since the federal government had made it mandatory for government agencies and departments to patronize local contents, so NDDC will not only champion it but would mobilise other government agencies to follow suite.
The NDDC chairman spoke when he paid a courtesy call on the IVM Chairman, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, at his Nnewi office. He said the commission would also partner Innoson Kiara Academy in training Niger Delta Youths.
During the inspection visit at the Nnewi centre of Innoson Kiara Academy, the training arm of Innoson Group which currently has students from the Presidential Amnesty Office, Ndoma-Egba stated that the commission would partner the academy to train thousands of Niger Delta youths and would start immediately with about 100 youths.
He said that the NDDC would soon select 100 young men and women from the region to undergo the training to boost their skills, stressing the importance of manpower development. The Chairman said: “We believe that the real resource of any country is not its minerals but the young men and women of the country.
However, they remain a resource only if they are trained, skilled and engaged. “If they are not trained, skilled or engaged, instead of being a resource, they will become a curse. We don’t want our young men and women to be a curse.
We prefer that they are resources, so that they can contribute their own quota to the development of the Niger Delta region.” Senator Ndoma-Egba commended the Chairman of Innoson Group, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, for his faith and belief in Nigeria. He said: “We are highly impressed with what you have done. ” It is not just the facilities but the spirit behind what you have done.
If we have a few more Nigerians with your level of believe in this country, we will be better off. Siting this massive investment in your community is a mark of faith not just in your people, but also in your country. “You have shown that industrialising Nigeria is possible. We keep talking about local content, See what you have done, bringing expatriates here to help us meet global standards. After taking a ride in one of your buses, I believe that the products from your factory are world class.” The NDDC Chairman stated that the Commission was interested in the training Niger Delta youths, just like the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which was already sponsoring the training of 200 students at the Innoson Academy.
He assured that the NDDC would support Innoson Motors, wondering why governments at different levels would not patronise locally manufactured or assembled vehicles. “That is the only way we can encourage our local industries. So, NDDC will be at the vanguard of this effort,” he pledged. Addressing the 200 students sponsored by the Amnesty Programme, at the training centre in Nnewi, the NDDC Chairman charged them to make maximum use of the opportunity, noting that the skills they acquire would empower them to be useful to themselves and to the society.
He told them that the acquisition of skills was meant to give them dignity and keep them away from destructive militancy, observing that militancy should be for positive goals. He explained: “I am a militant for development, knowledge and dignity.”
The Executive Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Chief Chukwuma, said that the kind remarks of the NDDC Chairman would energise and encourage his company to put in more efforts in the quest to industrialise Nigeria. He declared: “We intend to open small factories in different parts of the Niger Delta to among other things, employ those who have successfully gone through our trainings. I have challenged the trainees to put in their best efforts because Innoson will offer them automatic employment in our factories.”
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