By Ifeoma Ikem
Federal Government have advised Simba Group to establish a manufacturing plant in the country to create more job opportunities for citizens.
Sen. Omotayo Alasoadura, Minister of State, Labour and Productivity, gave the advice at the inauguration of the Show Room for TVS motor products, a service centre of the organisation, in Abuja.
The Simba group,was established in 1988, the maker of tricycles popularly known as `Keke’, Okada, and Luminous inverter.
Alasoadura said the products of simba were all over Nigeria, but Nigerians had not benefitted enough from the group.
“I believe that in the whole of Africa, Nigeria will be your biggest market and if that is so can’t you come back here and start manufacturing these products.
“We have the manpower, we have the land and our electricity is improving.
“In the past I would not ask you to come because I know power is very important.
“But with what the Federal Government is doing power is improving everyday and it will continue to improve; in fact you can do anything you are doing in India here.
“It will pay you more; you will empower more people, you will employ more people; Nigeria will be happy with you and Nigerians will also be happy with you.”
Alasoadura noted that such increased partnership would be more beneficial to all parties concerned.
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Bello Tambuwal said the ministry would continue to work with group in the area of agriculture.
He noted that Simba group has been very good partner in agriculture, particularly in areas of irrigation machineries and assembling.
“It has been very good in the development of agric products and other agric businesses; it has incorporated research in new technologies, capacity building and transfer of technology in Nigeria.”
Tambuwal also reiterated the minister’s call for the establishment of factories in Nigeria to employ more Nigerians.
In his speech, Dr Nasiru Argungu, Director-General, National Directorate of Employment, said the group had achieved a lot as far as training `Okada’ riders was concerned, especially on how to care for their ‘keke’.
Argungu said that the company had helped in adding value to the agriculture value chain by manufacturing a machine that does not need electricity to process farm products.
According to him simba group was making it easier for the directorate to achieve the mandate given to it by the government on job creation through infrastructural skills technology.
Chief Vinay Grover, Managing Director of Simba Group said: “Automobiles today have reached a level where people have to provide good after sales service.
“If you have vehicles which are broken down and are not repaired on time, then everybody, including the fleet owners and the riders, are at a loss.”
He said the flagship centre was meant to provide round the clock service, through call centres, within minutes.