Hurray! Mr. Alphons Akpaka, is 65 years.
Mr. Akpaka is a reputed and respected industrialist, humanitarian per excellence, and a jolly good fellow. He is a former President of one of the highly rated and celebrated Rotary Clubs in Nigeria, the Rotary Club of Abayi, in Aba, the industrial hub of Abia State, South East, Nigeria.
The industrialist, Mr. Akpaka, without mincing words is a critical stakeholder and major contributor in the collective efforts to grow and develop Nigeria's economy, and put the country on the path of sustained recovery, self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
The contributions of Mr. Akpaka, as a silent private sector operator, a tested and proven practical and committed leader, stands him out among the many Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, in Nigeria, also known as the MSMEs. The MSMEs sub-sector in Nigeria is at the present mistreated, neglected and are not sufficiently supported by Nigerian authorities. Mr. Akpaka's contributions in his chosen field is note worthy. The contributions are evidently revealing and the impact constantly reflected through the numerous wealth generation and job creation activities of his, while the huge multiplier effects are on the people, the communities and the nation that are either the direct or indirect beneficiaries. The other forms of empowerment that he provides as employer of labour, life builder and catalyst for change and developer of both human and material resources are sources of life to people.
His contributions to the economy as a pathfinder is fundamental in the fight against poverty, unemployment and loss of skills. His role is vital to combating the crimes of armed robbery, banditry and kidnapping, and very instructive in managing restiveness, civil disobedience and strifes, and quite crucial and useful for the elimination of gun running and armed struggles witnessed in the land. His efforts and approaches are of great impact in developing alternative positive actions necessary for improved lifestyle in both good and bad times. They are essential in promoting new skills and strengthening existing ones, as well as refining old and abandoned skills.
Akpaka's interest and motives for going into business and operating from the private sector as an industrialist is very clear. The two, his interest and motives, stem from his awareness about the dangers of allowing the spread of white collar mentality to permeat the system, since he understands the debilitating effects, consequences of unemployment and the harm living in a society where potentials are bottled up can cause.
Mr. Alphons Akpaka's knowledge of all these contributed to his resolve that the teeming population of Nigerian youths will not be allowed to roam the streets aimlessly, wallowing ignorantly, waiting endlessly for such a time that the so-called big or gigantic companies will vomit jobs they don't even have. The realization also that the youths while in their wait, may turn to tools and agents of destruction in the hands of conflict entrepreneurs and crisis merchants led to his position that the available structure is not a good enough template, framework or blueprint for the realization of the desired economic development in Nigeria. Thus the need for a more reliable support option for mopping up the steadily rising army of youths and adults, to divert the impending doom. Other factors, that were instrumental to this decision is his desire to contribute to the curbing of what he saw early in life as unhealthy and obnoxious lifestyle of most citizens, the huge appetite for foreign goods, and the tendency to go for imported items, even when the said goods can be produced more efficiently locally. Suffice to say therefore that the combined pressures arising from need to discourage excessive consumption of foreign goods, and the necessity to stimulate citizens thirst and increase their knowledge and understanding of the opportunities that abound, and in doing so awaken their consciousness and arouse their interest on the things that matter and are crucial to Nigeria's growth and sustainable development led Mr. Akpaka to seek effective means for the enthronement of a regime where majority of Nigerians, realize, embrace, protect and support as their pride, the national brands, such as commuting to and encouraging extensively the unique concept: ABA MADE.
The above issues which led the icon, the industrialist Mr. Alphons Akpaka to set and pursue a self-imposed mandate of contributing significantly to changing the economic development narratives of the country through the infusion of new orientation, considered suitable for real development of Nigeria, is here extolled.
Those that know Mr. Alphons Akpaka and follow him closely claim he works round the clock, and wonder how he still finds time to take active part in humanitarian activities and are therefore, at a loss that he is not just a member of the Rotary Family, or what in some quarters are referred to as Rotarian In Name Only (RINO), but served recently as the President, Rotary Club of Abayi, Aba. Friends of Mr. Alphons Akpaka, are majorly private sector operators. This, however, is not surprising, considering essentially, his passion for growth and sustained development of the sector. The implication of this to Mr. Akpaka is very well known to him, yet he left the lure of staying abroad to enjoy the luxurious lifestyle that accrue to those abroad, and came back to invest locally in Aba from where he does his business with virtually people of every race, tribe, sex and religion.
Mr. Alphons Akpaka is in addition to being committed to his role as an industrialist, wealth generator and job creator, and employer of labour, is also committed to opening up the economic space to throw up more diversification opportunities that will enable more and more people to participate actively in the process of rebuilding the already battered walls of the Nigerian economy, to improve the environmental conditions and increase the quality of life of the people, and promote the dignity of the citizenry and humanity generally.
Business operators in Aba, and Nigeria generally, face the undeniable challenge of neglect by those in authority. In view of this Mr. Akpaka and his likes in business toil so much, day in day out. They sweat profusely, invest scarce or limited resources, in the face of consistently rising cost of raw materials, labour and overheads, in addition to the challenges posed by poor infrastructure, such as deplorable road networks, low electricity supplies and high tariffs, and poor state of the markets. There are noticeable cases of unorganized and/or poorly managed Value Chain Groups in some cases and non existence of such in other cases. The activities of state and non state actors whose actions are clandestine and therefore, inimical to businesses abound. Lack of off-takers is also an issue. The stifling effects of poor financing products, weak capacity of MSMEs employees, in managerial, accounting, budgeting, financial literacy, marketing and communication skills, etc are other challenges that confront Mr. Akpaka and other MSMEs in Nigeria.
The numerous challenges that beseech the MSMEs not withstanding, Mr. Akpaka maintains there is real hope for the private sector, and indeed abundance of opportunities for Nigeria's economic development through active support of the MSMEs, and collaborations between the public and private sector actors.
Happy 65th Birthday Mr. Alphons Akpaka
Nnabugwu Chizoba
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