‘Refrigeration Business Is Lucrative’

An artisan, Prince Kitoye
Dede, has  described the refrigeration section of the business community as lucrative and rewarding.
Prince Dede 49, who hails from Owerewere in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State  spoke to our correspondent last Monday, saying, he had no regrets going into such a business venture.
According to him, he started his refrigeration business nearly 10 years ago with the sum of N20,000.
He said after his secondary school, he travelled to Lagos with the hope of securing employment but all to no avail.
Dede who now plies his trade at Accra Street in the heart of Port Harcourt main town said over the years ,he had trained over 10 apprentices who were comfortably on their own.
“Although I started my business at Creek Road, reconstruction of the road made me to look for another accommodation at my present shop”, he said.
He said presently he had two apprentices who were undergoing training with one due to finish in the next two and half years.
Asked how he broke even, Prince Dede said most people could not do without a cold drink including water and that was why business was flourishing.
On why there were a lot of old fridges in his workshop, he said many people preferred refurbished ones to new brand ones even as he said there was a general belief that refurbished ones last longer than brand new ones.
On the challenges facing him, he said one of the major one was electricity as no meaningful business could flourish without adequate power supply.
Another challenge he said was the raining season because people were less likely to take cold drinks during the rains.
Dede who is married with five children said at least all his children of school age were in school even as he advised youths in the state to learn a trade to enable them earn a living rather than waiting for non-available jobs.