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Governor Alex Otti, of Abia State on Tuesday unveiled and commissioned the Aba Export Growth Lab to boost business and provide a platform for export development in the State.
Speaking at the Aba Export Growth Lab complex located inside the premises of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Governor Otti, said Aba has always needed a whole lot more support than it has been getting for decades.
A post by Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said Governor Otti explained that the essence of commissioning the Aba Export Growth Lab is to support entrepreneurs in the State to structure their production, standardise and package them in a way the products would be competitive in the global market.
Otti said, “So, what we have come here to do is to support our people to structure their production, standardise, package and brand their products in such a way that it will be competitive in the international market.
“And you know the international market is not deceived. So, even what we are doing here today, they know.
“By the time you finish packaging your product, if it meets the standards, they will buy. And yourself, you will be convinced that you have done enough work to support that product to be sold outside the shelves of this country.
“That’s the way the market is structured. And if you cannot compete globally, don’t even try because you will just waste your time. And history records that, there are a lot of countries, including Japan, who developed after the war through export.
“We are not saying, don’t import. That’s not a bad thing. But, we are saying that the things that we are producing in Aba and Abia, that we can sell them beyond the borders of Aba and Abia, Gov. Otti explained.
The CPS to the Governor, quoted Governor Otti as having challenged the managers of the project not to compromise quality but to uphold standards, highlighting the need for them to fail any product that is sub-standard and ensure that specifications are maintained.
Governor Otti also added that, his government has no interest in making money from the project but to support and uplift the entrepreneurs in the State.
“It must be done right. And any product that does not pass the test, don’t be sympathetic. Fail it, so that we can start afresh and get it to such a specification that we have defined.
“So, for those who are in one way or the other associated with the export growth lab, the output should be second to none. It would be sad, if you have passed a product and the product fails the test elsewhere. And, we also have our way of checking.
“We don’t require money as government from here. So, if anybody is coming to tell you, oh!, government wants to make money, it’s not true because it’s not a money making investment for the State. This is our own support to our people; the micro, small and medium scale enterprises.
Earlier in his address, the Commissioner for Industry and SMEs, Mazi Mike Akpara, said the Aba Export Growth Lab is established to create a pathway for Aba and Abia businesses to gain access to the global market.
The Commissioner noted that the project is expected to empower entrepreneurs to be visible in the global market and is targeting 20 businesses as pilot, while it is focusing on 3 areas, including, Akwete cloth, footwear and fashion apparels.
Contributing, the UNDP Resident Representative, Ms Elsie Attafuah, saluted the visionary leadership of Governor Otti which led to the project initiative and described it as a laudable one.
She assured of the commitment of UNDP to the project, expressing optimism that Abia can lead Africa’s industrial renaissance just as she said the Southeast can rise as a regional corridor of productivity, investments, and jobs through the project.
In a goodwill message, the Representative of NEXIM Bank, Mrs. Nkeiru Ezenwanne expressed their full support to the administration of Governor Alex Otti towards the growth and creation of sustainable jobs by focusing on key value chain such as, agro – processing, manufacturing, garment, leather and pharmaceuticals.
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