94% energy tariff: Nnewi industrialists under pressure to relocate outside Anambra

The executive Chairman of Kotec Group of Companies, Nnewi, Anambra State, Chief Chika Emelike has called on the federal government to extend natural gas as alternative source of industrial power supply to the South East industrial cluster areas
“as done in other industrial zones in Nigeria, lamenting differential power supply tariff for the South Eastern zone.
Chief Emelike identified power as a major constraint of industrial and the small/medium scale industries’ development in the East despite huge investments by many daring entrepreneurs who he said were running their factories under excruciating conditions where electricity remain their highest cost of production.
He also disclosed that his company was being constantly wooed to relocate to Lagos State, a more investment friendly environment, especially where manufacturers pay about 20% energy tariff, unlike Anambra where they currently pay 94%.He admitted he was not giving it a positive consideration, choosing rather to remain in the South East to help in its industrial development.
The industrialist who produces the Tummy Tummy instant noddles said his factories were run on generators which consummed not less than 3,500 litres of diesel daily.
He said the power problem in the South East has caused a lot of havoc to many factories with its attendant loss of huge revenue. He cited a period when his factory attempted to rely on public power supply only to encounter a great loss each time there was power failure. He said the situation led the factory to depend on generators for production despite the high cost of production.
“We discover that other industrialists in some other parts of the country including the South West are using the natural gas. Why shouldn’t the same source of industrial power supply be introduced in the South East? We have lamented severally but nobody listens to us. Why are we considered foreigners in our own country despite our contribution in employment generation. I have over 3,000 workers in my employ who well paid despite the odds. Government should listen to us and encourage us to contribute more to national development,” Chief Emelike appealed.
He wondered why the industrialists in the South East zone should be paying 94% tariff for electricity whlie other zones pay about 20 percent. He said he could not understand the reason for the huge difference.
He also lamented the activities of pirates in the motorcycles and tricycles spare parts section of his business where he said fakers had invaded. He said government should come up with punitive laws to check the menace.