By CHARLES IWUOHA

Chairman of Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing (IVM) Limited, Dr Innocent Chukwuma, has revealed how former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, inspired him to manufacture SUVs and Pick-Up vans to support indigenous merchandise in his administration.

Chukwuma made this known in a world Press conference with journalists in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Tuesday.

He disclosed that as Governor, “Mr Peter Obi placed orders for 500 SUVs, 700 buses and 500 pick-up vans and that helped us a lot because he does not owe, he even paid us in advance.”

“Even when there were several criticisms that the vehicles might not be durable, he squashed the thought and charged me to prove them wrong with the production.”

“Honestly, it was a breakthrough for me in the business, that piloted me to the vehicle manufacturing market as more kinds of vehicles have been manufactured thereafter.

While reacting to the situation of foreign exchange (forex) in the country, Chukwuma said his company is looking ahead to being a producer of vehicles for use in the African continent as a whole, a development he asserted would reduce pressure on the Stock Exchange Market.

He said he had expanded his scope of production to a wide range of vehicles which include the latest SUVs, wagons, commuter buses, among others.

“I need to correct one impression. While a lot of automobile companies in the country are assemblage plants, ours is a manufacturing plant. We source most of our components locally. And that is the edge we have over others. If I see a local company that will add value to what we are doing through the production of components, I will patronize them.

“My plan for the next five years is to see IVM everywhere in Africa.”

Fielding a question on challenges mitigating the growth of his business, Chukwuma explained: “Challenges can never stop; people will always have challenges day by day, but the most important thing is that each time it comes up, my people put heads together and we surmount it. I don’t think there is a challenge we will see and not surmount. Our driving force is ideas; it is not about the volume of investments, if ideas are there, you can use small money to do big things.”

The Innoson Chairman added that the staff strength of the Innoson Group was now well over 7200, with the IVM accounting for 1700 staff members, and others which include Innoson tech, Innoson leather works, and Innoson plastics taking the remaining.

He further observed that the emphasis on industrial clusters by the Gov Obiano-led administration has also helped in the area of the power sector, adding that “it is also an opportunity for people to produce more components for me; that will help.”

“However, it should be noted that this industry is not only for governors but everybody. Everybody should know that Innoson Vehicles are manufactured in Nigeria; let everybody see it as our own thing,” he added.

The Innoson Chairman equally expressed happiness over the victory of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in the recently conducted Anambra State Governorship election, describing it as “a huge blessing and gift to Anambra people.”

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