BY SUNNY A. DAVID
In furtherance of the moves to reposition hospitality industry in the State, the State Ministries of Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artworks, Culture and Tourism, Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, have visited Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing plant in Nnewi.
The visit, which is an offshoot of previous meetings involving stakeholders in the hospitality industry, also attracted the presence of hotel owners in the State and partnering financial institutions.
The team, led by the State Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artworks, Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, and her Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy counterpart, Mr. Afam Mbanefo, were taken round Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing plant, garage and showroom.
In an interactive session during the visit, Chief Innocent Chukwuma commended Governor Willie Obiano for putting the interest of Ndi-Anambra foremost in the programs and policies of his administration, pledging his support.
He disclosed that the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Industry, has taken steps to boost local manufacturing industries by encouraging purchase of locally manufactured vehicles.
Commissioner Mbanefo, who commended hotel owners for keying into government policies and programs in hospitality industry, noted that partnership aimed at repositioning the industry, is in the overall interest of the State.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, Mr. Afam Mbanefo said with the partnership, Governor Obiano’s directives to meaningfully engage the youths are being aggressively pursued
Director of Project Smart Jobs in the Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, Mr. Lucky Kanu, who explained that gap in customers services necessitated the partnership, urged all hotel owners to have customer service vehicles, even as financial institutions that attended the event promised favourable interest rate for hotels that will patronize Innoson vehicles.
