I will remove business obstacles, Atiku tells southeast stakeholders

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, inspecting Made-in- Nigeria products, after a Stakeholders’ Town Hall meeting with manufacturers and business owners in Aba, Abia State

Standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has promised stakeholders in the southeast that his government would remove all obstacles to their businesses.

Atiku made the promise at a town hall meeting with southeast business representatives at the Aba sports club.

He said both himself and his running mate, Peter Obi, are in business and feel their pains.

He decried that the southeast zone that is central to business in Nigeria was not being given the attention it deserves.

“When it comes to business in Nigeria, it is the south east zone that we go to. That’s why we are here to feel the pulse of the zone. I shall do the needful that would prosper businesses and create jobs and employment opportunities,” he said

According to him, Aba is the hub of small and medium scale enterprises and I feel your pains because I am both a businessman and manufacturer.

Chairman of the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), Mr. Andy Uba Obasi listed the challenges as power, poor roads, as well as problems associated with sea ports and clearing of goods.

Others, he included, are higher cost of clearing imported goods in the south against doing so in Lagos, and delayed takeoff of Aba Geometric Power project among others.

Atiku’s running mate described Aba as the engine of manufacturing that can positively change the entire Nigeria.

“Atiku is here to beg you to solve your problem. He is a businessman who grew up in the wharfs,” he said.

Irked by the N10, 000 being distributed to traders as “Trader Moni” by the Federal Government through Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Obi exclaimed: “You can’t trade with N10, 000. Tell me which business can be done with such money.”

PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the APC-led Federal Government is not aware that the people are poor and hungry and does not take responsibility.

He stressed that the 2019 election is the opportunity to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari and his APC to pave way for the Atiku-led Federal Government.

State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu said Atiku convened the meeting to rub minds with stakeholders in the business sector, because he recognised the importance of Aba business community in Nigeria’s business equation.

Deputy President of the Aba Business community and former ACCIMA President, Ide John Udeagbala, also commended Atiku for the meeting.

He explained that southeast has been a disadvantaged zone in Nigeria, adding: “businesses here have distressed or died.