Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
When Governor Udom Emmanuel took the oath of office over two years ago, one of his cardinal policy thrusts was industrialization of the state. This effort was like hitting the rock to bring out water where there was none and was evident in laying foundation stone for the take off of many industrialize concerns in the state such as Metering Company (operational now); Vehicle Assembling Plant; AIT/Daar Communications station; AKEES pencil, tooth pick factory (operational) among many others.
The case of Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan was different because this is an establishment which was incorporated in 1979 as Public Limited Liability company and was put to effective use in 1980, fully functional until it met its limbo stage and finally abandoned due to poor funding, poor patronage, lack of government attention, non-payment of workers’ salaries etc. abandoned since 2002 by former government for many reasons including that it was not productive, Peacock paint, which was a house-hold name in painting business in Nigeria went into oblivion and in the process, many paints industries sprang up in the state and country at large, though some came as a back yard business outlet, just for survival, others big business concerns with serious legal backings, coupled with current technological advancements in terms of equipment and personnel to meet up with the current reality in the market.
Though lots of insinuations, speculations and side talks about the viability, operation and reality of Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan. Others said that the company was shut down soon after revitalizing the company by Governor Udom Emmanuel; others said that the place is completely ‘death’ as nothing goes on there. Yet some critics alleged that paints are purchased somewhere and use Peacock Paints label on it, that Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan is a scam, fraudulent etc. Century Newsfront team went on a fact finding mission (ffm) to ascertain the claims of critics or otherwise. On arrival, from outside the gate, we saw people and vehicular movements; at the gate, we were welcomed in by the gatemen who directed us on where to park our cars, within us we reasoned, are we in a wrong place or our mission field? Until we were directed to meet the personnel Manager, Mr. Jeremiah Eshiet who took us through the normal bureaucratic process of meeting the General Manager who directed that we be granted the power of entrance (poe) to see things for ourselves.
It was like a day’s activity to conduct our team round the premises by Production/Quality Control Manager, Pastor Joseph Udoumiong who took us round the laboratory, different types of machines and their uses, finishing department among other places within the premises where production work was going on simultaneously. Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan produces different types of paints such as primers, emulsion, satin, screeding and texcoat paints. Others include marine paint, decorative paints, car paint and coatings. These are neither chalked nor washed available in 1, 4 and 20 liters.
Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan is endowed with good and functional equipment with the capacity to producing quality paints for both all kinds of paints including industrial, decorative, marine and general purpose paints for Nigerian market and beyond. Blessed with 34 star studded staffers, two giants size 500kva generating sets; conveyance truck; good and clean working environment with nearly 24 hours power from the dreaded PHCN.
Though the effort of the state government is appreciated in activating the company, our findings show that the place is under-funded though blessed with hard working personnel. In my primary school days, we were told of subsidiary companies to provide basic needs to the major company in operation, this brings to mind a situation where a state owned Limited Liability Company, such as Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan could be struggling with where to buy plastic, cartons for packaging of the finished goods. For instance, what stops the state government taking over the Plasto-crown Company, relocate it to be accommodated by a massive land mass of which two third of it are unutilized. Two, what is the rationale behind buying cartons from Aba for the packaging of Peacock Paints products in Akwa Ibom? With political will and Governor Udom’s drive towards industrialization, the People’s Republic of China could serve as available market for the state government to purchase equipment with a very minimal cost to manufacture carton for Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan.
While exchanging views with Century Newsfront, the Acting General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan, Pastor Aniefiok Essien who extolled the industrialization policy of Governor Udom Emmanuel for reactivating the Company noted that the company needs more money for the purchase of raw material especially for the production of marine and industrial paints. He called on the state government to help repair and put to use Master Mix Dissolver (FFBH80EX) machine that has the capacity of producing over two thousand litres of paint at a goal. Peacock Paints Limited, Etinan that prides itself as ‘quality with pride’, if well funded with the present management stall, it will be indeed, a pride for Akwa Ibom State, South South, Nigeria and indeed, Africa.
