Taking Anambra’s Investment Drive To The International Community

EGBUNA AMUTA 

Notwithstanding that Governor Willie Obiano had before now made serious efforts at inviting foreign entrepreneurs to come and take advantage of the conducive business climate created in Anambra state by his administration since 2014, his recent business trip to Austria in Europe, stands out as a clear manifestation of his unwavering determination and commitment to attract huge foreign investments to the state. 

A similar move by the governor in his first term attracted the Chinese conglomerate which is largely financing the ongoing Airport city project at Umuleri in Anambra East local government area. Other things being equal, the cargo airport project would, by God’s grace, be completed and delivered in 2022. There is no gainsaying that the aerodrome would tremendously boost the socioeconomic well being of Ndi Anambra and Southeast Nigeria, in addition to improving their relationship with China, which is obviously the upcoming largest economic superpower of the world.

While addressing the Nigeria-Austria Business Forum in Vienna on Thursday, June 28, 2018, the Anambra helmsman did not hesitate to tell them about the extremely large business opportunities  and potentials inherent in his home state. In an address titled “Anambra State: An Open Door to Europe and the World,” Governor Obiano partly said inter alia; “Anambra is blessed with natural gas, crude oil, bauxite, kaolin, salt, gypsum, lead,  lignite, limestone and iron ore among others.”

He also reminded his noble audience that our state has the largest retail market in West Africa, and that Anambra’s economy is worth three point eight trillion naira. Akpokuedike, confidently told the Nigeria-Austria Business Forum that Anambra has the lowest poverty rate in Nigeria, pointing out that her Gross Domestic Product, GDP, is the Seventeenth in the African Continent. He equally highlighted the tourist potentials of the state, citing the Ogbunike and Ogbaukwu caves and waterfall as veritable examples, and disclosed that his administration established the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, ANSIPPA, as a one stop shop for local and foreign investors. The governor made it abundantly clear that apart from guaranteed overall security architecture and other variables such as business friendly environment, the acquisition of land and issuance of Certificates of Occupancy are easy under his government.

Without mincing words, Ebubedike made a clarion call on the foreign investors in Vienna and other European countries to quickly come over and partner with Anambra state and her citizens in the establishment of modular refineries, power generation, agriculture, agro-allied industries and setting up of industrial parks. According to the governor “other areas where Anambra needs foreign interventions include the construction of an inter-city Light Rail that would link the state’s major cities of Onitsha,  Awka and Nnewi.

In a way of reassuring the Nigeria-Austria Business Forum in Vienna and other  European entrepreneurs of the safety of their investments in Anambra, Governor Obiano confidently told them that his government has put things in order in the state, and laid foundation for growth, thus attracting our indigenous industrialists to invest heavily in the state in the spirit of the “Aku lue uno philosophy.” He emphatically noted that “there is nothing rewarding as a foreign direct investments.” The Chief Executive of our beloved state ended his historic speech to the Nigeria-Austria Business Forum by unequivocally saying as follows; “Our doors are open to the world. Please come. Anambra is waiting for you!”

Apparently satisfied with the widely acknowledged credible performance of Governor Obiano, two groups known as Nigerians in Diaspora, NIDO and Anambra Community in Austria gave awards for good governance to Ebubedike before his return to the country. These meritorious awards were conferred on him during a gala night organized by the Nigeria-Austria Chamber of Commerce in Vienna. Governor Obiano’s mission to Austria is undoubtedly another clear evidence of his noble intentions for Anambra state.  Even though he might not be able to accomplish every bit of his plans for the state before the end of his second tenure, the incumbent governor of the state has by his actions convinced many unbiased persons that he truly means well for the state, and genuinely wants the best for it through his drives for Foreign Direct Investment.

Be that as it may, Anambra state is undoubtedly in a hurry to become one of the foremost socially and economically developed societies in the African Continent in no distant future. This explains why the present administration has deliberately and consciously made the state the safest and most business friendly environment in Nigeria today. It is therefore against this background that the generality of Ndi Anambra should appreciate and unstintingly cooperate with the state government in its noble efforts at urban renewal of major cities in the state. This would definitely further guarantee a clement atmosphere for unrestrained local and foreign investments as well as the happiness of the citizenry.

EGBUNA AMUTA is the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Obiano on Grassroots Media Mobilisation.