IPIMD Moves To Bridge Capacity Gap In Industrial Sector, As It Inaugurates SE Zone

By Richard Agwu
L-R, Sir Eva Onwuzigha,  Dr.E.D.Oko Jaja,  Elder Emmanuel O. Adaelu, Hon.( Mrs} Kate Enwereji, Chief Ebere Ugbaja
L-R, Sir Eva Onwuzigha, Dr.E.D.Oko Jaja, Elder Emmanuel O. Adaelu, Hon.( Mrs} Kate Enwereji, Chief Ebere Ugbaja

THE Institute of Professional Industrialists and Management Development (IPIMD) has concluded plans to bridge the existing capacity gap in the manpower sector in the country.

The Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Institute, Dr. Pascal Ogechi Harry, disclosed this in Aba recently at the inauguration of the South East zone and induction of members of the Institute into various membership categories.

He said that the Institute is dedicated to the building of capacity of Nigeria’s Industrialists/Entrepreneurs and Industrial Managers as well as promoting professionalism in the study and practice of industrial management in Nigeria.

According to him, the Institute is also dedicated to the recognition and certification of industrialists, entrepreneurs, industrial managers and policy makers who have distinguished themselves in industrial/entrepreneurship development.

He further disclosed that the institute has developed platform to collaborate with other industrial stakeholders in Nigeria, the governments and their ministries departments and agencies (MDA) at both the federal, the state and the local levels, international development partners, educational, research, technological, financial and other relevant institutions.

In his remarks the Chairman of the occasion, Elder Emmanuel O. Adaelu, a leading Industrialist and the Chairman of Chemlap Nigeria Limited, pleaded with Nigerians to rally round the institute as it is the first time manufacturers and industrialists gather under an institution to encourage individuals to go into production of tangible goods.

According to him the institute gives education not only in the process of production but also on the know-how on how to develop and run an industry for people who are not necessarily seeking for white collar job but want to produce tangible products..

He said that the institute is a unique one, just like the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria that trains Accountants, the institute of Professional Industrialists and Management Development teaches people the know-how of manufacturing and production. In his words “In IPIMD, you come to exchange ideas; you come to know what you did not know, therefore, you cannot afford not to belong.

Elder Adaelu emphasized that the institute was formed for the purpose of improving our manufacturing/industrial process and teaching our people the know-how and to change from primitive way of production to more modern industrial system to produce en mass, create jobs and develop best potential for higher income.

The Special Guest of honour, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the Abia State governor, who was ably represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Trade and Investments, Hon(Mrs] Kate Enwereji, said the vision of the state government is deeply geared to that of the institute .According to her, “even as a country, what used to keep us going is almost gone; the era of the oil boom is gone and the only thing we have to hold on is what we can do with our hands.”

She said that God has so blessed Abia State and empowered her with human capacity and that the State governor has provided enabling environment to boost the trade.”We have the roads the governor has started doing and the electricity projects are geared towards creating enabling environment for the industrialists; for the people that will carry Abia State to its position; to have a place to do their business and to be able to produce something to consume and export”.

“The government is actually doing a lot to see that we are comfortable and doing everything possible to make Ariaria International market befitting for business and the state government is prepared to support and collaborate with the institute as we have a governor that cares” she concluded.

In his speech, Dr E.D. Oko Jaja, representing the Chairman Board of Trustees, Dr. Reuben Jaja said it is the vision of the BOT Chairman to see the institute chartered all over the world, which very soon will make people scramble for her membership. He expressed happiness that government has acknowledged that the only way out of the present national predicament is through industrialization. He advised manufacturers, industrialists and practitioners to be well positioned for the task ahead as institutions will soon be relying on stamped documents of chartered or fellow members of the institute for operations.

He revealed that the issue of funding will soon be a thing of the past as group funding is being negotiated for small scale industrialists both in agro and allied industries and therefore advocated for members to join groups to benefit from the cluster business funding

He advised participants at the inauguration/induction ceremony to join the institute now as rush may be experienced once the institute is chartered as professionals from other sister institutes are likely to join.

In her contribution, the Director General, Abia State Marketing Agency and Quality Management Chief (Mrs) Uwaoma Olewengwa, reemphasized that it is obvious that oil is going; we have to take our destiny in our own hands by producing with the things that our God has endowed us with. According to her the agency is a new creation of Abia State legislature that is charged with various responsibilities. “One of them is to ensure that everything that is produced in the State and all the services meet with international standard.It is for this reason that the Abia State government is registering all manufacturers and service providers; to know who does what, where and how; to ensure that what has been standing in between our products which is quality and others are eliminated, so that products from Abia State meet international standard”.

“The agency will do those things UAC used to do in those days that government will go to rural markets and buy their products, store them and qualify them for export. The state government through this agency is really getting ready to ensure quality of what we have produced so that we can sell outside and bring back foreign currency.” She said.

Chief Chukwuemeka Ojo, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship Education Development, who stood in for the Rector of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Elder Okpara Onyekwere, expressed gratitude for hosting the institute’s inauguration/ induction of members in the South East zone. He thanked the institute for choosing the Abia State Polytechnic for her function and promised to contribute immensely in her growth

In an inaugural lecture captioned “Bridging Capacity Gaps In the Nigeria’s/South East Industrial/MSMEs Sector: The Necessary Conditions,” presented on behalf of UNIDO by Dr. Paschal Ogechi Harry, the BOT Secretary, chronicled the background of Nigeria’s Industrial Sector. Dr.Harry said that a visit to major industrial towns in Nigeria will confirm the depressed condition of Nigeria’s Industrial Sector. According to him, the poor performance of the industrial Sector portends a worsening unemployment condition, poverty, insecurity and other vices in the country and there is the need for serious industrialization and diversification, particularly in the industrial sector.

It was revealed that the South East zone is gradually becoming the industrial /MSMEs hub of the country and the continent as a result of the enterprising nature of the people and their dislocation from other zones particularly the North East and North West.

“However, while the number of MSMEs in the zone is increasing, their sizes are decreasing or stagnant due to unfriendly industrial /business climate, lack of and poor conditions of infrastructure, advanced technology, exposure to modern skills, high cost of production, influx of imported products and tariff concessions” he said.

The Institute has also observed that despite laudable industrial/economic policies of the Federal Government of Nigeria which are becoming too much, the implementation of such policies are problematic and is prepared to conduct a comprehensive studies on the Nigeria’s Industrial Sector with a view to identifying moribund, ailing and growth potential ones.

The institute conferred awards on some prominent industrialists, those who have contributed in industrial development and members of the institute. Those who received the distinguished fellowship awards are Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe while Elder Emmanuel O. Adaelu,Elder Okpara Onyekwere, Hon.Rtn Ossy Prestige, Chief Henry Ikoh, Hon(Mrs) Kate Enwereji, Chief Ukpai Agwu Ukpai and Chief (Mrs) Uwaoma Olewengwa received honourary fellowship awards, Those who were conferred with fellowship awards are Sir Tobias Chikere Amara, Sir Harrison Obiechina Nzekwe, Hon.Donatus Uzoagbado Kingsley Ikechi Okengwu, Jeff Chinwoke Uzoagbara,, Chief Chukwuemeka Obasi Ojo, Richard Agwu , Dr. Obi Osisiogu, Engr Innocent O. Eze, Hon Christian Nwankwo and Mazi O.C.Williams. Mmeri Goodluck was admitted into the graduate category, Ngene Kingsley Ekere Ofoha Kenneth and Chief (Sir) S.N. Dinnah became associate members...

The inauguration/induction ceremony attracted prominent Nigerians including Elder Emmanuel O. Adaelu, Dr.E.D.Oko Jaja,Hon.( Mrs} Kate Enwereji, Chief(Mrs) Olewengwa,Chief C.O.Ojo,Dr. Godwin U. Achi,Chief Ebere Ugbaja,Elder Friday U. Harry, Amb.Darlington O.Kalu, Joe Thomas, Sir Eva Onwuzigha,Elder Kalu Mba Mba,Uma Ebuka Agwu,Kalu Okechukwu Jonah, Sir Tobias C. Amara, Austinmarshal Nwauzoh, Agbai Victor Eke,Agomoh Ugochukwu,Ohuoba Loveth, Enyinnaya Dimkpa, Elder Innocent O. Agumuo, Deacon Chituru O. Azu among others