Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has solicited the partnership of the United States of America (U.S.A) in the proposed Enyimba Industrial Free Zone in the state.
The governor spoke in umuahia, the state capital, when he hosted U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington.
He said small scale manufacturing was one of the state’s strongpoints for sustaining its growing economy.
Ikpeazu told the Ambassador that his administration had dedicated 9,000 hectares of land for the development of an industrial cluster.
The governor said Abia State needed the U.S as one of the promoters of the industrial free zone.
He said: “Small scale manufacturing is one of our strongpoints. This is why my administration has dedicated 9,000 hectares of land for the development of an industrial city where common facilities, security, power and all that is needed to perform the kinds of manufacturing functions would be put in place.”
The governor noted that the industrial cluster is located in such a way that it “is about 40-minute drive from two seaports and one hour from two international airports – in Owerri (Imo State) and Port Harcourt (rivers State.
He said: “Most importantly, Abia boasts most skilled labour and workforce in Nigeria. There’s no state that can boast of manpower like Abia. This is why we think having an industrial free zone would be the beautiful bride of industrial development in Nigeria.
“We are looking for 500 companies that can take advantage of the facility in our offering. Our industrial free zone is backed by law so that we are sure it will outlive my administration. That is our way of securing the investments of those who will come. We want to enlist you to be one of the promoters of that industrial free zone.”
Symington said his visit was to get insight into the governor’s vision and what he was doing for the state’s development.
He said: “I came here for a very simple reason but a profound idea. I came here because every state in Nigeria is important to the government and people of the United States. If Nigeria does better, the entire Africa does better.
“The ties between our countries are strong. We have a profound interest in the success of your country and each of your people. We are here to understand your vision and what you’re doing to move that vision forward.”
|The Nation
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