"Ingenuity of Nnewi, need for gov't support ''ll be my uttermost priority if I go to Green Chamber' says Amb. Ikebunwa
From Ijeoma John, Nnewi
A few days ago, I came across a video on social media that made me smile. A young man, clearly a first-time visitor to Nnewi, was sharing his shocking experience.
He said he travelled to Nnewi and while eating at a restaurant, he tried to charge his phone. The phone refused to charge. He discovered that his charger had spoiled. In frustration, he was complaining when a man sitting close to him told him to bring the charger. The man took the charger into his small repair shop, opened it, removed a faulty part, replaced it, and the charger started working again.
The young visitor was shocked. He said in his life he had never seen where people repair chargers. Normally, when a charger spoils, you throw it away and buy another one. Out of curiosity, he ran to his car and brought his laptop charger that had been bad for a long time. The same man repaired it.
In his words, “It means nothing is a waste in Nnewi.”
That short story explains everything about Nnewi. Nnewi is not just a town. It is a spirit. It is a mindset. It is a place where people refuse to give up on anything. From the globally respected auto spare parts industry to small repair shops in our streets, our people have built an economy powered by creativity and determination.
In Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo, innovation is not taught in classrooms alone. It is lived daily in markets, workshops, and factories.
But here is the painful truth, despite this level of ingenuity and potentials, despite our contribution to the economy of the country, government presence and government support in our constituency is not commensurate with our output. Our people are doing great things with little or no federal support.
Imagine what would happen if that charger repair shop had stable electricity, access to modern tools, low-interest loans, and technical training support. Imagine what would happen if thousands of such small businesses across Nnewi received structured government backing.
We are sitting on gold, but we are mining it with bare hands. Our roads need serious improvement. Our public schools require modernization. Our health facilities need better equipment. Our manufacturers struggle with unstable power supply. Our youths are creative but lack access to technology hubs and innovation centers that can connect them to the global economy.
This is one of the main reasons I, Amb. Ikebunwa Lotanna, decided to seek election into the House of Representatives. I am not going there for titles, I am not going there for noise. I am going there because I have seen the potential of our people, and I know what government support can do to multiply it.
My vision for 2027 is simple and clear. First, youth empowerment and human capital development. I will push for the establishment of Technology Hubs and Innovation Centers across our constituency. These centers will train our youths in digital skills, vocational expertise, and entrepreneurship. We will move from repairing chargers to manufacturing electronic components. We will move from assembling spare parts to exporting innovation.
Second, I will prioritize support for petty traders and market women. Our women are the backbone of our economy. I will facilitate seed capital programs, financial literacy training, and cooperative funding access. Small businesses must grow into medium and large enterprises.
Third, I will work to facilitate smart and modern schools equipped with digital tools, science laboratories, and improved learning environments. Our children deserve schools that prepare them for the modern world.
Healthcare is also critical. I will advocate for improved federal funding for our public hospitals and Primary Health Centres. No family should lose a loved one because of lack of basic medical equipment.
Security remains fundamental, so I will support community security initiatives, installation of CCTV cameras, better street lighting, and stronger collaboration with security agencies to protect lives and businesses.
Electricity is life for Nnewi. I will sponsor motions for improved power distribution, facilitate new transformers in overloaded communities, and advocate for federal energy projects that support industrial clusters.
Water is essential so I will pursue borehole projects, rehabilitation of existing facilities, and federal water infrastructure upgrades.
If elected, I will also establish a Constituency Employment Desk to connect our qualified sons and daughters to federal jobs, appointments, and national opportunities. Representation must bring opportunities home, so I will attract low-cost housing initiatives to help hardworking families own decent homes.
My mission is to unlock prosperity, modernize our communities, and ensure every ward in Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo feels the impact of responsive and people-oriented representation.
That young man’s story about a repaired charger is not just a funny experience. It is a message. It tells us that our people have talent. What we need now is structured government support to scale it.
Nnewi ingenuity is begging for federal presence.
Support my vision, let us move our Constituency from potential to prosperity. Let's take the spirit of Nnewi to the Green Chambers and bring back development that you can see and feel.