Hungarian firm Ortoprofil to invest $1.5 m dollars in Abia
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
A Hungarian firm, Ortoprofil, has indicated interest to establish its branch in Abia State.
The company said it would be investing about $1.5 million into the project.
This was disclosed at a meeting between senior officials of the Abia State Government, led by the Gov. Alex Otti; and top officials of the Hungarian Government led by Mr. Gabor Kruss, Deputy Ambassador Embassy of Hungary, Nigeria; at the weekend.
Ortoprofil is a Hungarian medical Service Provider with its own affiliate manufacturing custom-made, high quality limb prostheses (lower limb and upper limb prosthesis ranging from aesthetics to body-powered applications), electronic and mechanic wheelchairs and orthopedic/therapeutic shoes, insoles for flat-foot and diabetic foot.
According to a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, the Hungarian delegation came with various propositions in different sectors.
The statement said the delegation expressed interest to collaborate and partner the Abia State Government in many sectors ranging from Energy, Health, Education, Agriculture, Sports, provision of portable drinking water among others.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read: “After presentations by Ambassador Kruss and Judith Beres, Economic Counselor Embassy of Hungary, Nigeria, the Abia Government team, which included Commissioners for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu; Education, Prof Uche Eme-Uche; and Health, Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, deliberated on the different options after which decision was made to go with Ortoprofil.
“The first time we met, we talked about cooperation in the area of healthcare development. I know that you spent over a million dollars retrofitting St. Charles Hospital in Anambra. We will be very interested in that kind of cooperation.
“The Ortoprofil manufacturing plant has been approved. The details will be worked out. I will direct the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Industry to liaise with the Commissioner for Lands, who is not here right now, so that we can provide the half hectare of land for them anywhere they choose,” Dr. Otti said, while voicing his seal of approval.”
The release further quoted Otti as saying: “We would provide the land without asking for payment for it. That will be our contribution. From what is stated here, they have 1.5 million dollars to invest.
“I’m actually looking at a company that will produce prosthetics for upper and lower limbs. I believe they can also produce a whole lot of things including shoes or raw materials.
“For us there are two important things, the production that is happening here and creation of jobs for our people. The production increases our GDP and hopefully our Internally Generated Revenue.”
Governor Otti said the government would also be looking at opportunities in the area of education.
According to him, “The area of scholarship is also something we want to take advantage of. We have a lot of our young people with various initiatives, they are inventors and very innovative in thinking even if they didn’t go to proper school. We will encourage them to go to school. They are better inventors when they go to school.”
