Chairman of INNOSON Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Co. Ltd, the first automobile manufacturing plant in the country, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, has lamented the low patronage of the company’s products by both the government and the people of Nigeria.
Chukwuma said this Friday evening when the National Good Governance Tour team visited the plant in Nnewi , Anambra State.
He stated that the people and government of Nigeria have refused to appreciate and patronise locally-made products irrespective of the fact that some are of better quality.
The chairman also said that vehicles produced in the plant were more durable and cheaper compared to the imported vehicles.
“The vehicles can be purchased for as low as N1.7million, and the company has certification from the National Automotive Council (NAC), the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON),” he said.
Chukwuma added that some government agencies do not also patronise his company’s product even when government agencies from another countries orders for the products.
“Exporting of the IVM vehicles has already commenced. Ghana, for instance, has ordered 200 units of these vehicles and here in the country, the Chief of Army Staffrecently ordered 20 units. We approached the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency (AEPA) to patronise waste disposalbins manufactured by the company, but surprisingly the agency still imports them from Germany. I even provided the agencywith a truck load of complimentary waste bins for a trial,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information Labaran Maku has said that there was need to ban importation of fairly used vehicles into the country so as to encourage the local manufacturers and help them to remain in business.
The minister noted that if 30 per cent of the vehicles purchased in Nigeria were sourced from the company, it would be able to expand and meet the demand in the country.
Maku also urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to implement the resolution of the Federal Government to patronise the company.

asha 80: i think i have seen ekeson,orizu,autostar motors using ivm branded cars on some occasions.i think they need agressive marketing drive not only nigeria but in neigbouring african countries.most government agencies that buy all those foreign cars ivm can make do it because of overvaulation kick backs.

onatisi:
i think u are right ,this is even the first time i wil be hearing about this company,what they need to do is to embark on aggressive marketing and sensitse the ppl about their company and also try to offer some credit facilities for ppl willing to buy.they should employ more marketers too on both salary plus comission basis

londoner: That is such a shame.

At this rate, they may actually end up losing this guy to Ghana after all.

I remember the last time one of their ministers came to his plant and asked him to relocate to Ghana, which he refused.

Shame, shame, shame.......

Sincere 9gerian: Ethnic sentiments cannot be ruled out. For instance has the Lagos state ever patronised Innoson?

Sincere 9gerian: Ethnic sentiments cannot be ruled out. For instance has the Lagos state ever patronised Innoson?

Sincere 9gerian: Ethnic sentiments cannot be ruled out. For instance has the Lagos state ever patronised Innoson?

Dis Guy:

you jump all these states in the East and SS to lagos, what does the govt of lagos want to d with a bus?>

How many sure-p bus did GEJ order from innoson

asha 80: anambra state purchases most of their vehicles for state functionaries,schools,refuse trucks from the company.i know at least three private bus coys that do too so it is not like people do not patronize it just that not as much as expected.actually some of those sure p cars were sourced from there as seen from some there buses inl lagos.however hey i know how you feel about the company since it started so no suprised by your negative statements lol.

billante:
“Exporting of the IVM vehicles has already commenced. Ghana, for instance, has ordered 200 units of these vehicles and here in the country, the Chief of Army Staffrecently ordered 20 units.

londoner: That is such a shame.

At this rate, they may actually end up losing this guy to Ghana after all.

I remember the last time one of their ministers came to his plant and asked him to relocate to Ghana, which he refused.

Shame, shame, shame.......

Nightshift: The company must not rely on government patronage alone. A smart marketing strategy with juicy offers(e.g.longer financing period) to private users must be adopted . Hoping mainly for government patronage nearly killed ANAMCO.

Dis Guy:

come again... you know how I feel about the company since it started? how ?

in case you don't know where I'm coming from search the 18+ topics related to this same company on nairaland!

Abrantie:

If he ends up re-locating to Ghana, we'll have our Engineers (who are all trained in Japan and Germany) re-design the vehicles from scratch.

horlatunde: bt sincerely it is only Govt officials, Private giant and agencies that can promote dis vehicles. Dey use more of dia and by so doing pple will tend to av faith in dem wen a big organisation uses it. Nigeria Govt shud do sometin fast.

GARRI (x7):


Very SENSELESS comment. How many vehicles have Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Cross-River, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo State Govts bought from them??

How many vehicles have the PDP-led Federal Government headed by Gooodluck Agbaya Jonathan purchased from the company..??

Yet all ur pin-sized brain can think of is Lagos and Yoruba people..

Your senslessness is appalling...

“Exporting of the IVM vehicles has already commenced. Ghana, for instance, has ordered 200 units of these vehicles and here in the country, the Chief of Army Staffrecently ordered 20 units. We approached the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency (AEPA) to patronise waste disposalbins manufactured by the company, but surprisingly the agency still imports them from Germany. I even provided the agencywith a truck load of complimentary waste bins for a trial,” he said.

Sincere 9gerian: Ethnic sentiments cannot be ruled out. For instance has the Lagos state govt ever patronised Innoson?

Warri _Pikin:

Well, ethnic bias is part of the problem with some state governments, not just Lagos state alone. But what about the FG that has continued to import official vehicles instead of patronizing local manufacturing plants like IVM?

Sincere 9gerian: Ethnic sentiments cannot be ruled out. For instance has the Lagos state govt ever patronised Innoson?