With a good government policies, industries can thrive- Innoson
The Chairman of Innoson Group, Chief Innocent Chukwuma has portrayed the Vice Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, as his chief marketer and backer who has stayed part of Innoson’s achievement story from conception.
Chief Innocent Chukwuma, speaking on Channels Television, narrated how Obi’s support made him to start manufacturing SUVs and buses. He revealed how Obi, as the then Governor of Anambra State, approached him to help manufacture SUVs and buses for traditional rulers and schools in the State. He insisted, from the experience he had with Obi in Anambra state, that it only requires right government policies for industries to thrive in Nigeria.
“One thing that motivated me so much was that Obi decided to pay upfront for the vehicles. At that time we were not yet producing SUVs, but with Obi’s upfront payment, I gathered my engineers and we produced and delivered his order. We have not stopped producing SUVs since then.”, Innocent Chukwuma narrated.
He further stated how Obi has remained supportive to Innoson Group, from even when their manufacturing complex was being built with its accompanying challenges and till this day.
In his words, “After completion of our vehicle manufacturing plant, Obi helped to market our brand. Beyond paying us in advance for orders he made, he introduced us to the Federal Government and other government establishments.
“One remarkable thing about Obi is that he extended the same support to all manufacturers in Anambra State through infrastructural development. He constructed access roads to most industries in the State.
Chief Chukwuma also recalled that before Obi’s administration, there was no direction for industrialization in the State, until Obi came up with the first industrial plan. He stated that it was Obi’s industrial plan that made many industrialists to see Anambra State as an alternative manufacturing hub with top notch industries such as Orange Drugs, the then SABmiller, Distell, Krisoral and others, developing interest in Anambra State.
