By Udo Akam-Alo, ABAKALIKI
The Government of Ebonyi state has expressed its readiness to enhance the ease of doing business with a view to attracting Foreign Investors into the state.
Hon. Steve Odoh, Commissioner for Business Development, made made this known in Abakaliki, assuring potential investors that the state is security threat-free with necessary enabling environment.
His words, “We will be happy to welcome foreign investors into the state, only organization that will stimulate and compliment what His Excellency is doing. I’m sure he will be very happy.
“I believe that this is not the first outing because they have been in the business to know the standard protocol that should be observed.
“One good thing for any investor and any program in Ebonyi state is that in our state, any investor can sleep with their eyes closed because we are assuring you of security and nice environment.
You’ve been able to move round and you will agree with me that investors can cope here.
“We have done our best to make sure that every investor is comfortable by providing all necessary facilities and incentives for investment because there are things that make investment to thrive and encourage investors,” said Hon. Steve.
The Commissioner further mentioned the hospitality of Ebonyi State and her citizenry, coupled with the developmental effort of Governor Umahi towards achieving certain goals while local investors are not left behind as the major contractors in the entire state.
According to the Commissioner: “We are very accommodating people and we have a Governor that is interested in development and have shown enough commitments to development and enough efforts. With our little resources we can say that we are doing very well and from all indications, we have been encouraging local investment.
“This ministry is driving major ideology of encouraging local content ideology of His Excellence, the Governor.
When you move around and if you pass through Izhia Ngbo, Nkalagu and the Airport and bridges, you wouldn’t see a white there, what does it mean “we are using our local Engineers to do everything we are doing.
“Julius Beggar is not here and no international contractors is seen in Ebonyi state. We are using Engineers in Ministry of Works, Ministry of Housing and Ministry of Project Monitoring with the combination of different Ministries in Ebonyi state to deliver solid projects in which you are seeing in Ebonyi state and that is what Umahi is showing us and that is what other States should come and learn from us.”
He noted that all mentioned Ministries are driving towards the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) amongst others in order to encourage indigenes who will contribute to the economic growth of Nigeria.
