Why I Elected to Visit Companies in Asaba – Asagba Prof Azinge

The traditional ruler of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Asagba Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, FNIALS, has given reasons why he recently visited some companies operating in Asaba.

The Asagba, while playing host to the management team of the General Steel Mill (GSM), Asaba, during a courtesy call, explained that having concluded his visits to the satellite areas of his kingdom, it was time to look at the business sector to mobilize and re-energize his people and outsiders interested in doing business in Asaba to come down and invest.

He added that the visit was also to seek ways to forge relationships with the companies and more significantly to see how well youths in the catchment areas, especially Asaba, could fit in for purposes of employment.

The Monarch said research had shown that “Asaba is 70 percent a youthful population and not an aging one as many had thought”, and if the high number of youths remained not meaningfully engaged, time would come when there could be an explosion or restiveness that would be difficult to cope with.

Asagba Prof Azinge said: “We are not unmindful of the exploding level of criminality in our kingdom; drug addiction and of course cultism, amongst others. If we don’t engage these young ones this point in time, provide job opportunities for them, then we may be facing serious crisis very soon in our kingdom.

“So we decided to move out from our comfort zone to see how we can engage. We tried to get some leading companies in Asaba so we can start with them and yours happened to be one of them, hence we had to write you. Nothing untoward, no ill motive or bad intentions. And I dare say that we have visited some of the companies, and for me it was the most informative escortion I have ever embarked on.

“And no amount of visitation from members of those companies would have opened my eyes to what I saw on the land of Asaba. Unbelievable; highly impressive, both in terms of facilities and people working as if they were working in factories abroad. Very expansive. We went to GeePee and Olite Manufacturing Company, amongst others. Very impressive indeed, and I came back fully satisfied and also fortified in the knowledge that perhaps we are getting it right.

“And also reasoning that there seems to be a convergence of production and consumption because here we are dangerously close to the Onitsha international market. So the market is there, and I believe that in your own case the market is more in Asaba because we say without equivocation that Asaba is presently the fastest growing state capital in Nigeria, with high demand for steel rods”.

The Asagba commended the steel rolling company for being able to sustain production at a time many other companies had shut down, and advised the management to consider having alternative sources of power, as a solution to humongous electricity bills.

He also appreciated the Mill for providing employment to close to 1000 workers, even as he made a case for a clear demonstration of Corporate Social Responsibility and pledged collaboration with the company.

Speaking earlier on behalf of the company, its Lawyer, Andrew Odum (SAN) said the visit was to pay respect and homage to the highly revered king, whom he commended for his choosing to feel the pulses of his people and the businesses in his kingdom.

Odum drew the attention of the Asagba to the challenges facing the company, including the payment of an average of N500 million electricity bill monthly, which had left the Mill struggling to survive due to Nigeria’s consuming economy and the ever rising inflationary rate.

He identified another challenge as infrastructural deficit, saying “For us to solve this problem or to even begin to interrogate it at some reasonable level, there must be regional economic collaboration, which would see the states in the respective regions partnering to build power plants, railway lines, amongst others, to grow and boost regional economy.

The renowned legal luminary emphasized that power was not only the key raw material to the steel production industry, but as well a major challenge for the manufacturing sector and called on the Federal Government to review the Batch ‘A’ electricity tariff to save industries from closing shop.