FG to end importation of footwear to promote local manufacturing, commissions ENASCO in Abia

[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]

Federal Government has promised to halt importation of boots and shoes into the country to promote local manufacturing and to solve the teething problem of unemployment.

Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who made the promise in Aba, Thursday, during the commissioning of the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO) built by the state government, said that henceforth, Federal Government would prevail on its agencies to come to ENASCO to purchase their boots and shoes instead of importing them.

ENASCO built at Umukalika in Obingwa local government area of Abia State has a daily production capacity of 5,000 pairs of shoes.

 Lawan made the pledge after the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, had appealed for local patronage to enable ENASCO to excel, assuring that the Federal Government was ready to collaborate with any State with such ventures in order to solve the unemployment problem in the Country and save scarce foreign exchange.

 The Senate president said Nigeria must embark on a must-import-substitution through local production to remain a prosperous country.

 “We cannot continue to import everything into Nigeria. We don’t even have foreign reserves anymore. So, this project, in addition to providing employment in Abia directly, will indirectly provide jobs at the leather industries in other states.  

“I believe that this project deserves the attention of every federal agency, more especially the Ministry of Industries itself and, indeed, the Central Bank must be looking at this direction so as to expand the company,” the Senate President said.

“While we have 120 youths employed here, I’m sure that two years after, we should quadruple the rate of employment here and that will require improvement in all angles here. I’m sure that as one of you now, we’ll push for more support for this particular industry.

 Lawan said that as the Senate commences its budget defence, he would request all Senate Committees that whenever they see agencies that require boots, they must make sure they come to Aba.  

“We cannot spend such monies outside anymore. I believe that by the time we do that, the sky will be our limit. If this is the only thing this Governor will leave behind, he must have left everything.  

“Whatever you need to make this place work better, please call on me, I’ll help whatever you think any Federal agency will do to enhance the capacity of this place, I’m waiting for you, your Excellency,” Lawan said.

Earlier, Ikpeazu, had said that ENASCO would help to move Nigeria into the leather industry ecosystem globally and ensure that the country would derive much revenue from it.

“ENASCO will push out 5000 pairs of shoes every day to launch Nigeria into the fast-growing shoe industry globally. We can become major players in the leather industry ecosystem if we’re intentional about it.  

“It is only through the patronizing of our own products that we can revitalize our economy and be self-sufficient in all we want.  

“We’re a doing a similar factory that will have full automated garment factory. We’re looking for a way to compete with Vietnam and Bangladesh in the supply chain of garments across the world.  

“And I’m optimistic that with the success we’ve recorded, between now and the next six months machines would have arrived from Turkey and we’ll return to Commission it,” the Governor said.

He expressed optimism that very soon, Aba would have uninterrupted power supply through the Ariaria Independent Power Plant already inaugurated by President Muhammad Buhari and Geometric Power Ltd expected to commence operations soon.

Commissioner for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Mrs Adaku Oseiza, who described the project as a dream come true, said it has provided the state the opportunity to sharpen and improve the productive capacity of Aba shoe makers through automation.

Earlier in an address, the Chairman of ENASCO, Mr. Mark Atasie, said that the vision of the company was to become one of the most recognized leather companies in Africa in the next five years, while its mission was to elevate to a world class reckoning, the Aba shoe Industry.

He listed the company’s take-off products to include work boots, School Shoes, military desert boots, police shoes, dress shoes for men among others, adding that the company has distributors in Lagos, Abuja and Abia, in addition to online sales platforms.

The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Sir Ude Okochukwu, the Senate Chief Whip, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, the Senator Representing Abia Central, Chief T.A Orji, former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika, Senator Chris Adighije, Senator Yakubu Hoseni; some APC Chieftains, including Chief Anyim Nyerere, Executive Secretary NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, members of the state Executive Council, members of Abia State Traditional Rulers Council, led by its Chairman, Eze Joseph Nwabeke, Captains of industry, various PDP Pro-Women and Youth groups.