By Halimah Olamide
The government of Anambra state on Thursday explained the circumstances that made it buy some Toyota vehicles instead of Innoson Motors brand which has been the official brand of the state.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, Nedu Eke, who is the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Alex Otti, said that Innoson a local automaker did not have enough capacity to deliver on the needed number of vehicles.
Eke said the government went ahead to procure Toyota vehicles as the vans needed by the state special security forces could not be delivered within the required timeframe.
“We are, first and foremost, interested in stemming insecurity in the state, and we want to do it quickly. We were constrained by time and had to go for what was readily available. This does not foreclose any prospect of future transactions with Innoson or any other local brand,” he said
He went further, “The military service commanders in Abia needed trucks for immediate take-off of the special operation and, unfortunately, Innoson had no such vehicles in stock. The government could not delay the operation as it places premium on the lives and property of all Abians.”
He said at the inception of the administration, the Otti government ordered 50 vehicles out of which 30 were supplied.
“The administration appreciates, more than anyone else, the need to patronize locally made goods. And this was why we had, upon assuming office, ordered more than 50 units of cars from the Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing company. We currently have 20 unmet orders.”
Eke said the government appreciates feedback from people adding that the government would do whatever is in the interest of the the people.