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By Iheanyi Chukwudi
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi yesterday said the resolution of the insecurity situation in South East was squarely in the hands of Ndigbo, as no one would solve it better than them.
The royal father who spoke in Enugu at the 35th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra chapter held at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu, also advised Ndigbo to take seriously the "think home" philosophy and develop their region.
On how to handle the insecurity issue, the Onion asked them to hand security over to the trouble makers and see the different, stressing that nobody outside Igboland will be able to solve it.
He said, ”Insecurity and the solution to the insecurity is in your hands because you know your people. Nobody will come and do it for you. You have the good and the ugly.
"So, bring out all that is causing trouble and hand over security to them and see whether there will be any more problem or not. It might sound stupid but it works all over the world. If you do that, I believe Igbo land will be one of the most sought after all over the world."
Apparently reacting to the complaints of intimidation of Igbo businessmen in Lagos, the Youruba monarch said, "Igbo means new done in Yoruba language. That's why I think the Igbo do great things and when you touch business, a people with the hands of God. If you touch commerce, you've touched everything. They're the greatest entrepreneurs in our country.
"When you continue to talk about the MAN, this (Southeast) is the bedrock of it. A whole lot of things emerged from Igbo land. I implore each and everyone of you, please come together for the betterment of the generation yet unborn. Come together to lifting each other up. Do not desecrate your brothers."
"I commend the chairman of MAN here, Mrs. Ada, you continue be on the strength of the chairman's speech on Igbo, start working with your suppliers to build alliances so that they will build their manufacturing concerns and create manufacturing zone across the Southeast because charity begins at home."
He restated the cordial relationship between Igbo and Youruba, insisting that Yoruba and Igbo have similarities in culture and cannot exist in isolation, stressing that the earlier the two races realized this, the better for her economic growth and prosperity.
He said, "May be our ancestors at some point once lived together, let us know this fact for the generation yet unborn, is better for us and better for the entire black race. The better we come together the better our industrial base will continue to grow, the better a lot of things will continue to be better."
In her address,the Chairman of the MAN chapter, Lady Ada Chukwudozie, called on the federal government to create regional incentives to support manufacturers and attract national and foreign direct investments.
She stressed that the Eastern region needs to spearhead Free Trade Agreement (FTA) like African Union's Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) and integrate with other states.
Chukwudozie recommended that government should look towards promoting tax harmonization and other fiscal policies across the region, review taxation policies to make them more friendly especially in the areas of haulage levies.
She said, "They can introduce digitalised state toll gates with a uniform fee but with a deliberate intention to recognise, isolate, support and incentivize manufacturers by an almost next to nothing fees."
"We want a complete elimination of the agberos on the road of the eastern as they are too extortive, disruptive and creates an unnecessary harassment, intimidation, fear and frustration. This has gotten to an alarming state now and hampering grievously the ease of movement and doing business in our land."
Governor Peter Mbah who spoke through his Deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, enjoined manufacturers not to think twice in expanding their investments and operations in the state in particular and Southeast in general.
He however, noted that there are several indices that favours manufacturing in the South East which his administration has taken practical steps to improve the business environment
He added that his government was in the process of automating the ministries, department and agencies and streamlining revenue collection to eliminate multi taxation and facilitate ease of payment in the state.
"We all of the foregoing, we can make bold to say that Enugu is indeed open for business. We are willing to do everything within our power to make doing business in Enugu a pleasure. We enjoin all manufacturers within the state to entertain no fears in expanding their operations within the state and indeed the southeast."
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