ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MINISTRY

ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MINISTRY

TThe Ministry of Commerce and Industry has been in existence since the creation of Ebonyi State in 1996, and has achieved a lot for Ebonyi state. They are:

TREPORT OF PERFORMANCES OF MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM FROM MAY 29TH 2016 TO MAY 29TH 2017

TIn order to actualize the policy thrust of the state Government in the Culture and Tourism Sector, the Ministry within the period under review has undertaken some activities and recorded the following achievements.

1. A. CLASSIFICATION AND GRADING OF HOTELS: the Ministry within the period under review embarked on classification and grading of hotel and other hospitality enterprises to accelerate revenue collection in the state.
2. B. DOCUMENTATION OF TOURIST SITES: Records they say vindicates history. To this end, the Ministry has carried out documentation of tourist sites, so that investors could take advantage of it and invest.
   Also in Tourism development, the Ministry has cleared the centenary City Lake with a view of landscaping it and brings back the contractor to site for possible completion of the Lake’s restaurant and bar building.
3. C. CULTURAL ACTIVITIES: In the area of cultural activities, the Ministry represented the state at the 2016 edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) held at Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State. In the event of the above, the state contingents won many laurels.
   Furthermore, the Ministry in collaboration with the Ebonyi indigenes at Lagos has organized the first Ebonyi – Lagos Cultural day. It was a news breaking events throughout the country.
4. D. NEW YAM FESTIVAL: It is equally of note, that the Ministry has concluded every arrangement on how to be celebrating an integrated New Yam Festival Annually in the state.
5. E. TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION: The Ministry has been able to establish good mutual relationship with royal institution in the state through regular visitation, consultations and discussions with the royal fathers to ensure that the rich cultural heritage of our people such as New Yam Festival, traditional marriage, naming ceremonies were being observed.
6. F. THE MINISTRY’S MEDIUM TERM: Expenditure Framework (Rolling plan) for the year 2017 – 2019 and its recurrent budget for 2017 have been defended at the State House of Assembly.
7. G. LEASING OF EBONYI HOTELS ABAKALIKI AND AFIKPO, ICC, AMUSEMENT PARK NAD FATILAMI PARKS: The Ministry with the approval of State Government has leased the aforementioned tourism establishment to private proprietors for improved revenue generation.
8. H. CONVERSION OF UNITY SQUARE: the State government has approved the request of the Ministry for conversion of Unity Square to children Recreation Park to give Ebonyi Children an opportunity for a socio-cultural interaction.
9. I. TRANSLATION OF NATIONAL ANTHEM AND PLEDGE: The Ministry in collaboration with its parastatal has translated the National Anthem and pledge into Igbo Language and presented it to the admiration of the Public in many events both within and outside the state.
10. J. The Ministry has identified and documented the “OKPURU UKE” Annual fishing festival of Unagboke Inyimagu Unuhu in Abakaliki LGA

THE MINISTRY’S PROGRAMME OF ACTION AND SET TARGETS IN 2017

The programme of action of the Ministry is to ensure effective repositioning of the Ministry for revenue generation of the state while its set targets could be summarized as follows:

1. To review the classification and grading of hotels and other hospitality enterprises with a view to improve Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) generation.
2. To organize an Integrated Annual New yam festival.
3. To ensure the development of at least two tourist sites in each of senatorial zones.
4. To clear some other Tourist Sites Viz: Green Lake, Amanchor Cave and Mkpuma Ekwa Oku for possible
5. To landscape and develop the centenary city lake as a tourism destination.
6. The Ministry intends to embark on registration of all the existing cultural groups in the state and groom them for participation at both state and national festival.
7. To Organize an Arts and Crafts Exhibition among secondary school.

In conclusion, there is no gainsaying that Ebonyi State is blessed rich cultural heritage and tourism potentials and that the present government since inception has actually done a lot in its development to pave way for economic diversification. It could be believed that with the present tempo, the sky will be the Ministry’s limit soon.

1. The successful renovation of some markets in the Abakaliki capital city by Governor Dave Umahi and the reconstruction of the abattoir at meat market Abakaliki were successfully carried out through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
2. Industrial development and procurement of rice parboiling plants: The Present government under Gov. Dave Umahi has through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry established a functional Pipe Production company and the procurement of Parboiling plants for commercial rice production to international standard.
3. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has registered, trained and as well developed over 10,000 functional cooperative societies all over the state.
4. The Ministry has increased the revenue of the state government by generating over N100m through business premises fees, haulage fees and others.
5. Obviously, the state is endowed with abundant natural and mineral resources like lead, granite, zinc, salt, limestone etc. Effort is geared by the Ministry toward bringing genuine investors to harness these potentials for exportation, to create massive employment and as well increase the state IGR.
6. In other to boost the commercial activities of the state, the Ministry has since inception participated in different kinds of International Trade Fairs such as Kaduna International Trade Fair, Enugu International Trade Fair, Abuja National Trade fair and Lagos International Trade Fair. The Ministry sometimes in 2014 in conjunction with EBCCIMA organized a local trade fair tagged “AGRODEF” which boosted and served as a tonic to the economy of the state.
7. The ongoing construction work at the Ebonyi State International Market, International Trade Center and the Industrial Estate are all credited to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
8. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has built many small and medium businesses in the state through funds for small scale industries domiciled in the Ministry, also through the help of SMEDAN and Bank of Industry. This was made possible through soft credits and grants given out to many Ebonyians who have invested same with close monitoring which have created lots of business activities in the state and beyond.
9. Aggressive monitoring of the activities of companies operating in Ebonyi State and the government haulage agents have been the front burner of the Ministry, thus, this has enhanced the sharp increase in the revenue generation of the Ministry by the discovery of new mining sites.
10. In collaboration with Ebonyi Business Support Centre, the Ministry has organized many training workshops; more than 1000 persons have through this training acquired skills in detergents and soap making, baking and confectionaries etc, as well as methods of accessing YOUWIN and BOI loans and grants.
11. Supervisory roles: The Ministry has peacefully monitored and conducted elections of some Market Associations in the state.
12. The Ministry has as well attended meetings in which the Ministry of Commerce and Industry mediated and settled industrial disputes between companies and host communities.