By Cajetan Mmuta
The Igbo apex Socio-Cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide on Friday lauded the governor-elect of Anambra state, Professor Charles Soludo on his ‘far-reaching policy statement’ that Innoson vehicle will be his official car while in office as the governor of the State.
The body seriously frowned at the room by the federal government and its organs to have rejected needed patronage to IVM, describing the development as morally reprehensible and indeed the worst form of imperialism for Nigerian governments at all levels to prefer and patronize foreign companies as against the locally manufactured goods.
It also noted that the Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Co. Ltd (IVM) is a Nigerian automobile manufacturer based in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria, and was founded by an Igbo entrepreneur, Chief Innocent Chukwuma.
Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide Chief Alex Ogbonnia in a statement made available to newsmen Awka the state capital acknowledged that the Innoson vehicles, also known as the Pride of African Road, have gained wide market and acceptability, especially in African countries, namely; Mali, Sierra Leone, Ghana, etc.
He said that in July 2017, the Malian government placed an order for 400 Innoson vehicles and they were duly supplied. Also, in August 2020, the Sierra Leone government placed an order to the IVM worth o $4.7million and werewasivered. A lot of other transactions with IVM by African countries are replete.”
According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, “It is therefore morally reprehensible and indeed the worst form of imperialism for Nigerian governments at all levels to prefer and patronize foreign companies as against the locally manufactured goods.
The Igbo apex grapes stayed that while other African countries patronize IVM, the Nigerian Lawmakers in 2019, placed an order for Japanese cars valued over N5.5 billion.
“On the other hand, the aggregate expenditure on foreign cars by all the levels of Nigeria the n government is over 200 Billion per annum.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo posited that on a firm wicket that the volume of import into a country far exceeds sorts, the balance of trade is distorted and the value of its currency is severely threatened.
“The self-induced imperialism and mass poverty by the Nigerian leadership takes various forms: most people in government own buildings in the USA, UK, Germany, France, etc, and their children attend schools in foreign countries; the fuel for cars, gas for bigger machines, including kerosene; health care, etc are sourced from foreign countries.”
Ogbonnia said, “In fact, almost everything which can be sourced within imported without corresponding effort for meaningful exports. This obnoxious self-inflicted injury has already thrown Nigeria into the poverty capital of the world and fragile states index status, and counting.”
It would be recalled that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had in October 2019 urged the Buhari-led Federal Government and other State Governments to patronize locally manufactured goods.”
It describes a heartwarming that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, in one day, procured 100 Innoson Hilux vans for security operatives in Enugu State.
A visit to Ebonyi State also shows that the traditional rulers of the State use the IVM brand, courtesy of Governor Dave Umahi. The Imo State government, led by Senator Hope Uzodimma is not left out in promoting the IVM, with over 100 vans and several ts; and more.
Elementary economics informs that the more we promote our locally manufactured goods, the more the employment opportunities for our teeming population and the better the indices of economic growth.
The body’s scribe said, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor in a congratulatory message to Professor Soludo after his emergence as the governor-elect governor-elected had prophetically enthused “the age-long strategic place of Anambra State in Igbo Land and hopes that his sterling pedigree will add extra-ordinary value to social economics of the state and the entire Igbo land”
Soludo has by the roust steps he has taken so far, proved beyond doubt that he is an experienced development economist and a scholar of world renown.
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“Professor Chinua Achebe had long lamented that the problem of Nigeria is leadership. The Achebe lodestar implies that if President Muhammadu Buhari, 36 State Governors, National Assembly Members, Ministers, etc adopt the Soludo Model by patronizing the local goods and services including Medicare, schools, cars, foods, etc, the regrettable tailspin of the Nigerian economy, perhaps, maybe reversed.”
“Daron James Robinson in Why Nations Fail had Nigeria in mind when they stated that poor countries are poor because the authorities make choices that create poverty.”
