As the God’s Own State, as Abia is nicknamed, clocks 32, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha has canvased a multi-stakeholders effort towards locating a cargo airport in the state.
She said partnership with private investors in auxiliary areas of aviation would not only boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state, it would also create more employment opportunities for the growing number of youths in the state.
She therefore urged players in the private sector to invest in the development of infrastructure in the state to boost production and exportation of made in Aba products by at least five times than what is obtainable today.
The veteran Lawmaker also hinted that boosting of Aba leather industry, will take the youths of the state off the streets and create prosperity.
She pointed that 32 years after the creation of the state by the then military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the commercial reputation of Aba cannot see to its full potentials, until there is a functional airport to transport what’s produced in Aba to the rest of Nigeria and beyond.
“Airport can become the magic wand. We can control domestic and West African Market by exporting bags, shoes and other products from Aba to conquer market in West Africa. But that’s only possible through airport no matter how small.
According to the immediate past Deputy Whip of House of Representatives, everything produced in Aba, had to be transported by road to Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country. But with Airport, the challenge of timely delivery would have been solved.
Onyejeocha noted that, over the years, Aba, the industrial capital of Abia State, South-East Nigeria, “has been a hub of creativity and manufacturing with thousands of creative artisans doing credibly. The city is well-known for the production of local fabrics, shoes, bags etc.”
She said the famous Aba shoe cluster exports almost a million pairs of shoes every week within other Africa nations.
“The industry is huge. So you can imagine its potential. There is no doubt that a well organised, leather and leather products industry could become one of the major items in Nigeria’s export items if the right decision is made and the right thing is put in place.
There is clearly enormous potential for even greater job opportunities and much higher export proceeds if the value chains in the leather industry is property annexed.
Findings have shown that there are over 80,000 players in the leather industry and the industry is said to be estimated at N120 billion. I believe we can we can raise the bar.
China for instance, produces 12.6 billion pairs of leather shoes annually, while Vietnam produces 760 million pairs. Indonesia produces 660 million pairs, while Italy produces 205 million of the same commodity annually and good number of these shoes find their ways into the shore of the country.
Nothing stops Aba-Abia in Nigeria from joining the above list.