The Kano Concerned Citizens Initiative (KCCI) has pledged to support Kano indigenous businessmen to boost their businesses with a view to restoring the lost glory of the state known as center of commerce.
The KCCI is a conglomeration of experts in various fields of human endeavors, who come together to restore the lost glory of Kano in the areas of economy, agriculture and culture as well as to fight social vices including drug abuse, street begging, local thuggery (Daba) and other vices that are bedeviling the state.
From the formation of the group to date, it has executed three major projects that include meeting with Kano indigenes government officials at both federal and state levels, meeting with top Kano businessmen and recently embarked on a special tour to companies and businesses that are owned by Kano indigenes.
The special tour led by the KCCI’s Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa was aimed at interacting with the state indigenous businessmen in order to help them overcome the challenges they are facing in conducting their respective businesses.
The KCCI chairman said the group had intended to visit 30 different companies owned by Kano indigenes and that it would do everything humanly possible to assist such companies to boost their businesses.
Tofa added that the visit was to encourage the businessmen to sustain the tempo of boosting their businesses, noting that “we want to show to the world that the people of Kano are not lazy. They can compete with others in the fields of business.
“In fact, our doors are open to also help any peace-loving businessman that is conducting his business in Kano and who is also ready to help Kano to grow in the area of business. We have experts in our midst who can go to any length to connect our people with other businessmen in other parts of the country and beyond.
“All we need from you is commitment and dedication. Ensure that you recruit your younger brothers and sisters in your company so that they can as well earn their livings from your businesses. If you do this, we will also connect you with other people that will partner with you in business. We will also expose you to various loan facilities that help you boost your businesses,” he assured.
At Garba Karfe Investment, the Chairman of the company, Alhaji Abba Garba Karfe told members of KCCI delegation that their visit would surely boost his morale to double his efforts in the area of business.
Karfe explained that the company that started with textile had expanded to include building materials, toilet fittings, electrical appliances, tiles, marbles, ceramics, electronics and provisions items among others.
He said, “We have over 400 youths working under the company. We will soon commission a new branch along Zaria road in Kano metropolis. We will continue to expand our company in order to recruit more youths. With this we can reduce the level of unemployment among youths in the state.”
At Mama Sannu Investment, the Chairman of the company, Alhaji Imam Salisu Buhari, told the delegation that cost of energy was their major problem, a challenge that he said could send one out of the business.
He said, “He is spending N30m on energy every month. The cost of energy in the northern part of the country is entirely different from that of southern Nigeria. I am appealing to KCCI to look into this problem in order to address it. If this can be done, many companies can resume production in Kano.”
On his part the Chairman of Globus Enterprises, a tannery company in Challawa industrial estate, Alhaji Kamilu Ila said their major problem was naira devaluation and non-availability of loan facility.
“As an exporter, I needs huge capital to sustain the business. It takes me at least 6 months before I could export and sell goods abroad and without huge capital, one cannot sustain the business. If I can get loan facility, I can boost my business and employ at least 800 youths as against the 100 we are managing the business with at the moment,” he said.
Another Kano indigene, who specialised in production of footwear, Alhaji Bashir Danyaro, said his company was out of production for seven years courtesy of lack patronage especially on the part of the federal government.
Danyaro, who was the first black man to serve as manager in the then Bata shoemaking company, lamented that despite the fact that Kano has the highest number of experts in the area of leather work, the business is being regulated and determined by people from other countries.
“It is unfortunate that this business has been destroyed by foreigners. These people don’t respect the rules and regulations governing the business. In fact, they have taken over the business. This business alone, if improved, can make Kano proud,” he said.
Alhaji Bashir Muhammad Dan Kullu, another tanner, complained that some of their business partners had ran away with their money running into millions of naira, appealing to KCCI to help them recover the funds.
Responding to his appeal, the KCCI chairman, Alhaji Tofa, directed Barrister Aisha Ali Tijjani to liaise with other legal experts in the group and meet with affected businessmen to find lasting solution to the problem.
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