Orji Kalu
Orji Kalu: Great Entrepreneurial Skill
Orji Kalu, executive chairman, SLOK Group of Companies, believes that the strength of a company lies in its off-shore business. Slok is into crude oil transportation. Its big boats, MV Ifeoma Orji Kalu and MV Nneya operate at the downstream of Nigeria's oil sector. Two other ones including MV Igbere operate in Zimbabwe and Angola. They transport crude oil to Europe and America.
Slok is also the second biggest fish sellers in Nigeria and one of the largest importers of textiles. The company's' diversified business with a slant for international trade says a lot about the business acumen of Kalu, a young man with the ambition to hit the heights of the world of business. Kalu reveals that the greatest decision he has taken in his life is internationalising Slok.
In managing his company, he lays premium on light fiscal policies. He also lays great emphasis on human resources, but he equally does not shy away from downsizing when the business environment demands that. He supports the privatisation of such public institutions as NITEL and NEPA. He sees the need to create gainful employment and pay commensurate wages through the privatisation exercise. Kalu calls for government encouragement of small-scale entrepreneurs that start from the scratch as a way of reducing unemployment and also generating economic activity in the country.
He does not support the dual exchange rate of foreign exchange which he believes gives room for manipulation and corruption. He argues that the biggest problem facing the economy has to do with political instability, lack of funds and the deregulation of the economy which he says hampers foreign direct investments. The country needs to go back to agrarian economy to achieve sustainable growth. Kalu has contributed to the community by offering setting up scholarship scheme and also an education foundation with 86 undergraduates as beneficiaries. He also gives loans to market women, and has built roads and bridges in Abia State.
He identifies honesty, clear vision and punctuality as ingredients of success. He advises youngsters to be honest and disciplined. He left politics temporarily due to family pressure and also to enable him to attend the Harvard Business School programme. He is back now seeking the governorship seat of Abia State.
Newswatch June 29, 1998
" Newswatch 1998