As part of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s campaign for promoting Made-in-Aba products, Abia State government and Abia State National Association, U.S.A. and North America, ASNA-NA, showcased the potentials and quality of Aba products to the international community during the association’s national convention in New York City, USA.
The event saw many designers, such as Chumar, and thousands of products shipped in from Aba on display, with models on the runway, adorning Aba-made designs.
According to the Special Assistant to the Abia State Governor on Diaspora Matters, Mr. John Ndubuisi, all the outfits on display were sold out and orders placed, noting that Made-in-Aba designs will soon be competing in the American market.
He added that with the clamour for restructuring, Abia State Government is working to grow the local economy, provide employment, empower skilled artisans and boost internally-generated revenue, stressing that Aba, dubbed The Japan of Africa for its entrepreneurial ingenuity, creativity, fabrication and manufacturing, deserves international spotlight.
The two-day event, which ended with a gala night, also saw delegates electing new executives, sworn in by the past President, Dr. Chris Ike, to run ASNA-NA for the next four years.
The newly-elected President, Chief Ngwakwe Agburuike, assured the Association that his team shall continually push for agenda of mutual benefits for ASNA-NA and Abia.
The association also deliberated on its health missions to Abia State between 2014 and 2016.
The missions comprise health enlightenment campaigns, free medical services, wheelchairs donation to the physically-challenged, over 14,000 kilogrammes worth of medications shipped in by the association as part of the last medical mission, all in collaboration and partnership with local medical practitioners and other volunteers, who will follow up on the patients.
Present at the made-in-Aba show were the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ude Chukwu; his wife; Senator representing Abia South, Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe; Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Mr. Enyinnaya Appolos; Special Adviser SME, Chief Greg Esotu; Mr. Chukwu Wachukwu, and other governor’s aides.
