Obiano Inaugurates Awka Capital City, Investment Promotions Boards

Two months after he was sworn in as the executive governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has inaugurated two boards, the Awka Capital Territory Development Board and Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency respectively to expand the frontiers of effective governance in the state.


The 9-man Awka Capital Territory Development Board is led by an indigene of the capital city, Chike Egwuatu while the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency is headed by the traditional ruler of Umuoji, Igwe Cyril Igweze,
 
Obiano’s move was in response to the endless clamour by Ndi Anambra for a befitting capital that would reflect the enormous endowments of the people of the state. It was also in fulfilment of his campaign promise to the electorate when he ran for governorship in November 2013.
Inaugurating the Awka Capital Development Board, governor Obiano urged the team to look beyond what is on the ground and the limitation of resources to provide a structural design that would give the city a befitting status.
 
The governor also explained that the committee’s terms of reference include to accelerate infrastructural development of the Awka Capital Territory, prepare a master plan for the capital territory and for the land use in respect of the town planning within the capital territory, implement the Awka capital territory master plan and provide infrastructural service in accordance with the master plan.
 
Also speaking while inaugurating the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency led by Igwe Igweze , governor Obiano mandated the Agency to interalia, coordinate and monitor all investment promotion activities in the state, initiate and support measures which would enhance the investment of climate in the state for both Nigerian and non-Nigerian investors, promote investments directed at the state in and outside the country through effective promotional means and collect, collate, analyse and disseminate information about investment opportunities and sources of investment capital.
 
The governor who charged them to advise on availability, choice or suitability of partners in joint ventures and public-private partnership projects, identify specific projects and invite interested investors for participation in those projects as well as initiate, organize and participate in promotional activities such as exhibitions, conferences, summits and seminars for the stimulation of investments both locally and internationally.
 
In addition, he urged them to maintain liaison between investors and Nigerian Investment Protection Commission, federal and state ministries, government departments and agencies, institutional leaders and other authorities concerned with investments, provide and disseminate up-to-date information on incentives available to investors, and assist incoming and existing investors by providing support services and advice to state government on policy matters including fiscal measures designed to promote the industrialization of the state and general development.

Awka Capital Territory Development Committee chairman, Egwuatu and his counterpart Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, Mr. Ifejika thanked the governor for the opportunity given them to serve the state and expressed the hope that they would bring their wealth of experience to bear on their assignments for the betterment of the state.