Economy
A former Director Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, Joseph Odumodu, has inaugurated a dotCOM Superstores to engage some youths.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Superstores at 144B Zik’s avenue, Amawbia, Odumodu said that he opened the shop because the community did not have any grocery outlet.
“Having lived in the community for three years, there is the need to take it a level higher,’’ he said.
The former director of SON noted that Ndi Amawbia never had a bank in their area, until one of the sons of the community brought them a branch of the United Bank of Africa, UBA.
According to him, the bank will help businesses to thrive because of its proximity to the Amawbia people.
He said that one of the things that scared him was that their youths were not gainfully employed.
“As you can see, the biggest industry we have is beer drinking joint; once there is a fair lady selling drinks, everyone will be there until morning,’’ he said.
Odumodu emphasized that there was a need to get the youths gainfully employed, noting that there are people ready to do that based on the governor’s ‘Akuluo Uno’ philosophy. “I keyed into the clarion call,’’ he said.
According to him, he has a farm with no fewer than 50 persons employed there and now this shop also takes some youths out of the job market.
He said that he wanted to do originals only to show that you could run a business, focusing on quality products without risking people’s lives with sub-standard goods.
Odumodu said that these were what informed his decisions to commence a supermarket that would ultimately graduate into a pharmacy.
“This is like retirement to me. The business is close to my house and it is also going to be a way that I can serve my people through my own profession as a pharmacist.
“Ultimately, I will have a pharmacy here and when I start it, I have already had a clear vision of what I want to do.
“It is a pharmacy that will take care of mainly the elderly patients; we will not wait for them to come here for medications, rather we will take their medications and healthcare to their homes,’’ he said.
The former director said that he would carry out a survey on diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, serving them in a way that no other person could have done in the past.
“I am not doing it to make money, rather it is more for the community, society but all the same, I will not want to lose money,’’ he said.
He said that the large turnout for shopping was impressive, noting that they managed to cope with the pressures that turned out to be a success.
Odumodu explained that his only challenge was parking space, saying that he might have to break through their gate so that people could park off the road.
He promised to ensure the comfort of his shopping customers.
Ifeanyi Okoye, CEO of Juhel Nigeria Ltd., said that he was excited at the event
“Even though the superstore looks like a business establishment, but it is more of a corporate social responsibility in practice when somebody is opening a business strictly to get people gainfully employed,’’ he said.
The CEO Juhel said that he had businesses — petroleum outlets and cooking gas plants, all in a bid to get people off the streets; “this is exactly the same target as Odumodu is trying to achieve’’.
Earlier, Rev. Fr. Fabian Anumba Parish Priest St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Amawbia prayed to God that the shop would attract development and progress to the community.
– April 30, 2021 @ 09:21 GM
Tags: DR. JOSEPH IKEM ODUMODU employs youths Former Son Director Opens a dotCOM Superstores
