Enugu State Government yesterday witnessed a major
breakthrough in its efforts to attract foreign investments in the state,...
with
the presentation of a N300 million cheque to three communities of Ogwofia Owa,
Enugu Eke and Akama Oghe by Lion Business Park Limited as compensation for the
economic crops and structures on the 2000 hectares of land acquired for the
development of the Lion Business Park industrial project in partnership with
Chinese partners under the coordination of the company. The Lion Business Park
industrial project is a bold initiative of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s
administration, designed to create a manufacturing and integrated industrial
hub in Enugu State and the South East geopolitical zone at large and facilitate
Chinese manufacturers’ entry into the state to feed the Nigerian and African
market through the existing sales channels of Onitsha and Aba in partnership
with Nigerian business organizations. Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State
Presenting the cheque, Gov. Ugwuanyi who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs.
Cecilia Ezeilo, stated that the project was in line with his administration’s
efforts to attract foreign investments to the state, disclosing that the State
Executive Council approved and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with
the group of Chinese Investors for the establishment of the Industrial Market,
to be known as Lion Business Park. The governor commended the company for the
prompt fulfillment of the compensation aspect of the MOU and also expressed
gratitude to the people of the three communities “for their wonderful
understanding, partnership and cooperation in the entire process”. Gov.
Ugwuanyi appreciated the massive benefits that the Industrial Market will bring
to the economy of the state, saying that it will stimulate investment inflow in
diverse sectors of the economy and create a huge economic value chain that
would engender employment as well as production and availability of “much
needed goods and services”. He reassured the foreign partners and all potential
investors of the government’s resolve to sustain the business-friendly
environment that currently exists in the state, stressing that “Enugu State is
indeed ready and open for business”. He equally thanked the state Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, members of the land acquisition steering committee and
all those who assisted in ensuring a successful acquisition of the land as well
as the enumeration and evaluation of the economic trees on it. In his remark,
the Chairman of Lion Business Park Limited, Dr. Okechukwu Mbonu commended Gov.
Ugwuanyi for his “great vision in making Enugu State a West African industrial
hub”, saying that the company is only complementing what his administration has
already started in the state. Dr. Mbonu assured the governor of the foreign
partners’ determination to actualize their mandate in a record time, thanking
the host communities for the support and understanding. In his opening address,
the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo
disclosed that the event was “a major breakthrough geared towards the full
actualization of the investment vision of the present administration of His
Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi”. Barr. Ogbu-Nwobodo noted that the
project was an outcome of the 2016 Oganiru Enugu State Investment Summit that
thrives on the existing trade cooperation between Nigerian business
organizations and their foreign counterparts especially from China for the
purpose of furthering their mutual interests. The commissioner stated that the
state government’s vision “is to create a conducive and profitable environment
for Chinese companies to produce in Nigeria ahead of other countries and to
enhance strong and enduring bi-lateral ties between the Peoples Republic of
China and the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. While thanking Gov. Ugwuanyi for
his firm commitment to investment promotion in the state, the commissioner
stated that the milestone achievement was in keeping with the governor’s
inaugural address that his administration “will drive with full force
investment promotion…” and “provide the necessary legal and policy framework to
make investment thrive in the state”. Barr. Ogbu-Nwobodo said that the
remarkable feat recorded towards the commencement of the project in the state
was the fruit of the governor’s “focused and genuine commitment to the rapid
industrial and general economic development of the state”, borne out of his
deep devotion to the welfare of the people of Enugu State. He added that the
governor’s interactive sessions with the Traditional Rulers, Presidents General
of the various communities and most importantly, about fifty-one indigenous
Professors from the area, during the process of acquiring the land were “quite
engaging and productive”. According to the commissioner, “this ingenious and
unprecedented approach made the entire acquisition exercise very smooth. The
governor gave the entire process a human face, demonstrating very clearly that
his government is that of the people, for the people and by the people – which
is the hallmark of democracy. “Following this noble example, the committee
actively engaged the entire communities in a transparent and honest way, with
community visitations, town hall meetings and several other meetings, all aimed
at sensitizing the people of Ogwofia owa, Enugu Eke, and Akama Oghe communities
of the socio-economic importance of the investment, which attracted them to
support this critical industrial development. “This achievement we are
witnessing today is one of the remarkable impacts in the life of this
administration, which have ushered in enduring peace and good governance in the
state backed by vision, unprecedented infrastructural development, innovation,
fiscal discipline, transparency and other structural and institutional
initiatives, aimed at driving massive investment inflow into the state’s
economy”.
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