Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has expressed great joy and delight over his emergence of Aba based FOOTWEAR ACADEMY with an AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN LEATHER WORKS at the National MSME AWARDS.
Governor Ikpeazu sees the Award as yet another validation of the efforts of his administration to provide support to willing and able Entrepreneurs to chart a course for themselves, and to make Abia a destination of choice for business breakthroughs.
The Governor notes that the fact that Abia State has consistently won this Award which is organized by the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is an incontrovertible evidence that the deliberate efforts of his administration to incubate future business Leaders is yielding fruits.
Governor Ikpeazu states that in Abia, the business and narrative of shoe production has been moved beyond the artisanal to the professional level with structured trainings, overseas capacity building and automation, noting with pride that the two ladies from Abia State who had won these awards previously, Onwuasoanya Norah and Prosper Nma Erem were part of the Shoemakers sponsored to China for training in Automated Shoe Making by his administration.
Today, the two ladies are doing great and breaking new grounds in their businesses and Abia State is the only state in the country that owns a functional automated shoe company that is professionally run and handles major shoe supply contracts to key Agencies of the Federal Government.
The Governor is particularly delighted that the FOOTWEAR ACADEMY was recognized by the Federal Government because of the new paradigm they introduced into shoe production and congratulated the couple that runs the Academy, Mr Bentley Chuks and his wife, Chidinma Emodi Chukwuemeka for hitting the national stage in a short period, assuring them of the continued support of his administration to them and others who are genuinely interested in nurturing business ideas and growing them.
The Governor further assures them that he will continue to remain a student of the Academy until he masters fully the art of shoemaking.
Governor Ikpeazu also commends Sam Hart, Esq, the Director General of the State Marketing and Quality Control Agency and Members of his Team for their tenacity in hand holding these budding businesses and helping to nurture them onto the national stage, noting that the Agency has boldly interpreted his vision for the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
The Governor ends with a clear message to budding Entrepreneurs with bright ideas. IF YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS TO GROW, COME TO ABIA.
