Local furniture makers to undergo training with latest technology

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Dinning

Dinning

Lifemate Furniture, a Chinese company,says it will train Nigerian local furniture makers with the latest technology.

Alhaji Zayyanu Gwandu, Director, Projects and Implementation, Nigeria-China Investment Forum disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

According to him, the company will work together with local furniture makers in the country to ensure that they are knowledgeable with modern and latest technology.

Gwandu said that the world had gone beyond the use of hammer, saw, and chisel, among others.

“The era of taking raw materials out of the country for processing has long been over and we are now in the era of training staff abroad.

“We believe in building human development and we intend to contribute our quota in the development of the economy,’’ he said.

He said rather than Nigeria being importer of furniture, the country could develop what it had and become the exporter.

Gwandu said that the overview of the whole African furniture market in
2015 was 9.6 million dollars and Nigeria contributed about 25 per cent of the market value of the amount.

He advised Nigerians to invest in the country rather than patronising other countries by creating employment and contributing to the GDP.

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Gwandu said that due to lack of data, the amount of resources lost to importation of furniture material cannot be said.

Mr Sebastine Adeyemi, the Resource Manager said that the company,which originated in China, operates in few African countries with its biggest operations in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is endowed with raw materials and that is why we decided to expand our business here,’’ he said.

Adeyemi said the company chose Nigeria due to the peace and stability being experienced in the country which every investor would look out for before establishing any business.

The Executive Director of Lifemate, Mr Jack An said the company would use 100 per cent local materials to manufacture its furniture.

An said that the company had in its employment more than 500 local staff with only five Chinese personnel.

He said that the majority of the company’s staff are Nigerians, adding that emphasis would be laid on training and skill acquisition.

He said the company was a one-stop centre where one could get what he needed such as home, office, hotel and outdoor furniture, sanitary wares, kitchen cabinets, lamps building material and fittings.

“The strength of Nigeria is in the diversity of the people and population; it is endowed with raw materials, a versatile youth population and good governance exemplified by the present administration,’’ An said.

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