The Governor of Anambra State Chief Willie
Obiano has moved to reposition the state as a major industrial hub in
West Africa with a hugely successful convocation of industrialists
of Anambra origin in Awka who he called on to join hands with his
government to fast track the industrialization of the State.
Governor Obiano set the Anambra industrial agenda before some of West
Africa’s leading industrialists who are incidentally from Anambra State
when he observed at the gathering that it was odd to realize that with
such an array of frontline industrialists, the state was lagging behind
others in industrial production and output.
The Governor further
explained it was one of the key objectives of his administration to
attract local and foreign investors to the state. He however observed
that foreign investors would be reluctant to come to Anambra if the
state’s own indigenous industrialists did not show enough interest in
investing in Anambra State.
He further expressed confidence that
with the help of Anambra’s large tribe of entrepreneurs and
industrialists, the state would witness a transformation that would
catapult it to the forefront of frontline industrializing hubs of
Africa.
Noting that the mission of his administration was to make
Anambra the first choice destination for local and foreign investors,
Governor Obiano maintained expressed optimism that with the anticipated
rise in industrial activities under his regime, Anambra would soon have
enough jobs for the teeming population of youths in the state.
Said
he; “We are building a data bank to know the number of the unemployed in
the state. We are also putting in place a socially stable business
environment with a one-stop shop investment board which will streamline
processes and make things easier for investors.”
With respect to
security of lives and property, the Governor explained that his
administration had declared war on criminal elements in the state with
the recent launching of a Joint Task Force of Security which has been
yielding the desired result with the arrest of suspects and recovery of
arms and ammunition and hard drugs in Onitsha axis.
He also
appealed to the industrialists to contribute generously to the Anambra
State Security Trust Fund which would soon be formally launched to
create a large pool of funds for sustaining the all-out war on crime in
the state.
Speaking further, Governor Obiano explained that
wholesale implementation of the four Pillars of his Wheel of Development
for Anambra which include; Agriculture, Oil and Gas Industrialization,
and Trade and Commerce would open wider frontiers of opportunities
across the state. He posited that building markets of international
standards and promoting electronic commerce would expand the scope of
trade and commerce.
Responding to the Governor’s appeal, some of
the industrialists including the Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis
Group, Chief Cosmos Maduka, thanked the Governor for his foresight and
inclusive approach to governance. He assured that with the provision of
effective security network and a conducive business environment, the
state would harvest an upsurge in investment. Other speakers like Chief
Agulu Uzodike, Chief G.U.O Okeke, of GUO transport spoke in support of
the Governor’s plan to industrialize the state.
Earlier, Director
General of the Nigeria Chamber of Shipping, Mrs Ifeyinwa Anazonwu, had
commended Governor Obiano for the State’s development blueprint which
she said had given the people high hopes of better things ahead. She
stressed the need for Anambra State to seek collaborations with the
neighbouring states in the area of transportation to open up the state
for serious industrial activities pointing out that industrializing
Anambra would benefit tremendously with the cooperation of its
sisters-states.
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