A former Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, has been appointed to chair Committee for the establishment of Council of Igbo Business Leaders.
The Committee, which has the mandate of creating a united and credible voice to speak for the Business Community in Igbo land, interact and liaise with both international and national authorities and other agencies with a view to instilling an enabling business environment in the South-East geopolitical zone, was inaugurated by President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, on Saturday, in Enugu.
Inaugurating the Committee, Chief Iwuanyanwu charged it to work hard and immediately establish Council of Igbo Business Leaders with the following mandate;
“Create a united and credible voice that will speak for the Business Community in Igbo land, interacting and liaising with international, national, regional, state authorities and other agencies with a view to creating enabling business environment and attracting investment to Igbo land.
“Actively promote the economic redevelopment of the Igbo Nation by motivating and encouraging a conscious and deliberate investment in the home land by Igbo Business Men & Women( including sponsoring big-ticket joint ventures) with the aim of making Igbo land competitive with other regions of Nigeria and the World.
“Give recognition to Igbo businessmen and Women who have taken initiatives to establish significant businesses in Igbo land thereby creating job opportunities for our people, reducing youth unemployment and poverty in the region.
“Provide a sustainable source of financial and other support to Ohanaeze Ndigbo to help it achieve its lofty goals for the well being and protection of Igbo people and their interests in Nigeria and the world at large and to work to create and sustain a credible image for Igbo Businesses, Products and Services and help to stop all forms of unfair business practices in the Igbo Nation.”
The Ohanaeze boss further expressed that confidence that Ohuabunwa, who was a one-time Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; a former president of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association; Pas past president the Nigerian Economic Summit Group; among others was poised to redefine the identity of Ndigbo should this redevelopment agenda.
He said, ” As a former Vice-Chairman of the Ohanaeze Strategy and Planning Committee and recently a Presidential aspirant in the last elections, we are confident Ohuabunwa has the requisite experience and exposure to lead this team to a successful accomplishment of the above mandate.”
He emphasised the Igbo Nation was looking up to the Council to chart a kind of Igbo Economic Renaissance, assuring he already had good communication lines with the state governors who were anxious and poised to work jointly with Ohanaeze and the Council to achieve the lofty goals.
In his response, Ohuabunwa thanked the Ohanaeze boss for finding him and his colleagues worthy to be trusted with such an important assignment at this critical time in life of Nigeria.
While congratulating Chief Iwuanyanwu for his sterling leadership credentials and the great effort he has brought to bare alongside his team members, he pledged they will work hard and speedily to populate the Council with the array of very great Igbo industrialists, agro- entrepreneurs; among others.
“We have Igbo business men and women who already have footprints on Igboland and those who are in the process of doing so, in order to fully prosecute the mandate trusting in the help of God.”
Dignitaries at the meeting were Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of ABC Transport Ltd, Mr Frank Nneji, who serves as the Secretary of the Committee; Chief Executive Officer of Chicason Industries, Chief Chika Okafor; an industrialist and businessman, Chief Gbazueagu N. Gbazueagu.
Others included an industrialist, Dr Favour Iheanacho; estate developer and promoter of Enyimba Economic City Aba, Arc. Darl Uzu; Group Managing Director of Cowry Asset Management Ltd, Chief Johnson; a former chief executive officer of Dorman Long Engineering Ltd, Chief Henry Okolo; among others.
